Perfect Copy
by Kerria Flower
Summary: She was born with an incredible ability. She was blessed with incredible eyes linking to her own brain. Hellish sight and observational skills, she is able to learn anything she sees, and then refine it to make it better, and make it her own. This is the reality of Uzumaki Naruko. Good thing there are some things she can't do or it'd be downright unfair!
1. Chapter 1

Another World

For little Naruko who was basically ostracized, shunned and hated by everyone, she definitely had plenty of time.

She was taught how to read and write, which she learns quick, but pretends to 'learn like her peers'.

Then she spends her time roaming around the village because after a year, she was mostly left alone.

She sneaks around to watch how people do things.

Buying and selling, the price lists, what girls her age do and wear as nobody in the orphanage teaches her.

Then how ninja train.

By sneaking around the Academy and Training Grounds, she knew how everything works by merely looking. Then she refines them to her standards and making them hers by tweaking some things here and there for her comfort in usage.

Thus before she was six, she already knows how everything works.

How to create and use chakra, how to train, techniques...thus she bid her time in school.

She only bothered attending the first two years of the Academy...and only showed for Academic Subjects, never showing up for Shinobi Classes...because she already knows what to do, and takes care of herself just fine at her own pace.

That suited the biased Chuunin just fine.

For them its better that the Demon Child doesn't know how to defend itself for the time of reckoning.

How wrong they were.

When the more bold ones tried, they were nothing more than gory smears on the ground.

All it took, was a copied, overpowered and mastered Gatsuuga.

Years later...

Naruko, aged 12, caused one hell of a ruckus in her own way, when the Hokage checked all the graduating ninja classes...yet not one has her name in it.

'What the...there's no Uzumaki Naruko among these classes? That can't be right, I enrolled her myself!' Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen sputtered at his Chuunin Teachers who winced. 'What the hell is going on here?!'

'Er, the thing is, that one can't be a ninja...if she doesn't take shinobi classes.' a chuunin squeaked.

'She only ever showed up for Language, Math, History, Biology...that's pretty much it...she never even showed up for Kunoichi Classes!'

'She's only around for three years and when the shinobi years of the curriculum began, she never came sir.'

'Really? I didn't know.' said Iruka, the last teacher. 'I just started two years ago, how would I know she's even enrolled?'

The Hokage snapped his fingers and next thing poor Umino Iruka knew, his fellow teachers are knocked out by ANBU and hauled away. 'E-ehhhh?!'

'I'm sure you understand the situation, Umino-kun?' the Hokage asked Iruka in a business mode that made the Chuunin gulp. 'If they ever sabotaged her ability to defend herself just so the mentally-compromised citizens can take revenge on a poor child whom they made a scapegoat just for inheriting the Yondaime's will...heads will roll. Quite, literally.' he growled. 'Minato trusted her will and her power since she was an infant to imprison it to keep us all safe...and what did our people do? Dishonor his wishes so severely that she has no childhood I wouldn't be surprised if one day, she spits at this village when she gets fed up. I really wouldn't be surprised.' he sighed. 'There's only so much I can do for her...I may be leader but that doesn't mean I have control over free wills either.'

'I'm not getting any younger...but I have yet to find a successor who would be kind and humane to her. Nobody ever smiled at that child nor showed kindness to her. Tell me, what do you see in an isolated child?'

Later that day, even further chaos occurred when Naruko was nowhere to be found...and they can never find her for a couple more years.

The only thing that kept Jiraiya from being depressed, was a Prophecy from the Toad Sage, hinting she is still alive...just beyond anyone's reach for now.

xxx

Naruko was far, faaaar away.

She's on a rare metal ship heading not for any country ninja had been to.

Faaaar beyond that, in fact!

The men told her(in her disguise as a very poor old man) that they rarely do business with ninjas since they're an ambiguous violent lot whose natures you can never tell. They'd rather do business with people they can at least, READ and know they're safe to be with. But there are some things only the ninja lands have that other countries want.

Upon traveling to a new land, a land where people are more into outwitting each other by being very skilled in politicking, bargaining and hunting...

Naruko figured she'll be free here and never worry about ninjas ever again.

Unknown to her, that suited the fox within her just fine. His host focused on surviving and living because others tried to make her life hell just for merely existing. She has no clue why but he knows full well its because she was his host.

Upon landing on an island...

'Well, here's where we get off gramps.' said the sailor. 'We're at the border islands.'

'Border...islands?'

'Yah.' said the Captain. 'Our world is just within a huge-ass lake everyone mistook for as the huge ocean. There are five 'worlds' within this huge lake and each world is surrounded by Border Islands in a circle, each with a Gatekeeper. The likes of us can sail because we got nothin' to lose, and merely sailing beyond the Border Islands alone is a risk, even if its on a good weather day. Strangely, nothin' happened so far and we're thankful that we can sleep a night away for a whole change. No doubt our luck will end soon but that's life. You win some, you lose some. Well, we'll pay the Gatekeeper we've known for years a Toll before we go to the next world where we'll pay a toll again just to get in.'

'...and what do they charge?'

'Loads of stuff we got from other worlds. They don't charge money. They got no use for it.'

'...'

'Well, the writing is different, wanna learn?'

'Before that, what's the world beyond the lake we are in?'

'The Gatekeepers said only those with incredible luck, strength and knowledge can survive that hellhole that humanity retreated to the lake for safety.' said the Captain. 'Its a world of monsters equipped with everything that can either kill you instantly, or prolong your agony before you die. They're hell born with fangs, legs, wings and fins unleashed.'

Upon arriving in a 'new world'...Naruko looked on in awe and marvel.

Upon learning the world's writing system, the rest was easy.

Upon bidding the ship farewell, Naruko happily explored her new world...that took her a year to do so. Because other parts are not allowed unless you're a Hunter.

Thus at age 14...she took the Hunter Exam, wearing just a knee-high yukata, a morning glory hairpin and a matching barrette that bound her hair at the tip. For footwear, she wore sandals. That's it.

Since this world has a more traditional equivalent of her world called Jappon, its clear that there were once travelers from her world, most likely wanting to get away from the bullshit ninja are causing every decade or so. And the universal currency is Zenni. She could buy as much yukata as she wants, as she was never used to dresses, shirts, pants, shorts and skirts...things teenagers her age wear here.

She read every book in her travels with her clones.

She doesn't need school to obtain knowledge thus. Why bother when she has her abilities that help her learn faster?

She decided to become a Hunter just so she can explore places forbidden to her before.

And the test at first, was boring. All running and making sushi(she has no idea like everyone else) until due to the unfair exam, they had to do a deadly version of boiling an egg.

Then at Phase Three Site...is where she met them.

'Everyone, the third exam will begin here.' said a person who looks like...a green bean wearing a suit. 'We are now in Trick Tower.'

'Trick Tower?'

'To pass this phase, you must reach the base of the tower in 72 hours.' said the bean. 'With that, I pray for your success.' and the airship left.

'...Trick Tower...a place where the world's most heinous criminals are held.' Naruko mused in her soft-spoken voice.

'Criminals?' somehow, a boy with incredible hearing heard her even though she spoke in a whisper. 'Nee, what do you mean by that?' he asked, approaching her.

'In any city and town, there are prison facilities for offenders where even life sentence is given. However, Trick Tower holds the world's most dangerous criminals who are either on Life or on Death Row. Their crimes are so heinous that letting them stay in normal facilities are out of the question, and holding them here is the best option. Where escape is impossible.' Naruko explained. 'If falling down won't kill you, the beasts here would. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, nothing but forests and mountains for miles where any beast and insect can make your life miserable, unable to get food easily without a brush with death, and no medical treatment if you got bitten, stung or broke a bone...so the world's worst criminals have no choice but to stay here where it's safest.'

'Most likely, the warden will have us deal with the tower and its tenants. The deal would most likely be: shave off the examinees and per examinee is a year or some off your sentence or you're no longer on Death Row. So they'll do anything to make us fail or kill us. If not them, the Tower's traps will deal with us if we made a mistake.'

'Well, they sure left us in some messed-up place.' a man griped.

'Trick Tower...if there are traps, that means hidden passages too!' said another as there's now a scramble to look for a passage.

'Hey, won't you join us, onee-san?' the kid asked Naruko. 'Let's look for a passage together!'

'...'

This kid is so...innocent.

He has an air that she can't say no to him.

People like him exist?

So she indulged him for now, and they found five passages.

The two boys are also friends with two older ones...who they called over and went into the doors they found...only to end up in a big room wherein to reach their goal, they have to 'do what the majority says'.

For now, Naruko stayed silent since she wasn't used to talking so much and let the others talk...while choosing which way to go by voting, and taking care not to trigger anything.

She gave them her name when asked.

'You're a really quiet girl huh?' Leorio mused while thinking she was also just as expressionless.

'There's no reason for me to talk much since I traveled and lived alone for years.' said Naruko. 'I'm here just to get a license to go to places barred from common man, I could care less about the jobs it offers.'

'WHAT?!' Leorio and Kurapika squawked in shock.

'D-don't care?!' Kurapika cried. 'You don't care about the prestige and privileges being a Hunter brings?!'

'Nope. I have no use for that unless you count travel needs and expenses a privilege since traveling to places barred from humans. I want to explore the world and find an ideal home to live in. The place I came from...was not ideal.'

'Not ideal?' Killua blinked.

'What do you mean?' Gon asked her.

'I came from a land beyond the borders.' said Naruko, taking out a marker pen and doodled on the wall, drawing an accurate map of their world...and then a circle drawn with broken lines. 'You think that this is the only world we're in? You'd be surprised.' she said. 'I was surprised too when those sailors told me. The circle with the broken lines represent the Border Islands, each with a Gatekeeper. You pay them a toll in order to go past them to obtain fuel, food and water enough for the journey beyond. They don't care for money, they care more for goods from other worlds. Southwest of your world...is my world.'

Naruko drew a map of her world. 'Much smaller than yours, right? My world is full of ninjas...and every century, there would always be a Shinobi World War when I looked up our history. And when I explored your world and I ended up in Jappon, the people there originally came from mine, probably tired of the bullshit there. Because when wars occur...who suffers? Warzones tend to be in neutral countries and the people either get caught in the crossfire and killed, or forced to be drafted against their wills under martial law to bolster war forces. I found ancient books that the Japponese Ancestors were from the Second Shinobi World Wars did the same thing I did...take the Ship, and sail away. But because I'm a girl, I pretended to be an old man in disguise for my own safety since they've never had a woman in a long while.' the implications were not lost on the worldly-wise but her words confused Gon who has no clue. 'According to them, there are five worlds in total...within a huge lake that everyone mistook for as an ocean.'

'We're in a lake?!' Leorio asked her incredulously.

'Yup...and by getting off the lake, is hell unleashed.' Naruko continued grimly. 'Personally I don't believe the sailors that such a place exists and that I'm as skeptical as you are, but when I asked to see with my own eyes, they said, 'Hell no' even if I paid them all gold in the world because on the shores is a dark world full of monsters. Everything will be out to get you in an eat-or-be-eaten world. Everything there is equipped to kill and eat anything that shows even a small moment of weakness. Only truly-strong, capable people who are born lucky will survive and live to tell the tale. I suppose its enough for me that other worlds exist...I want to go to the other three worlds and be the first person to do so.' said Naruko. 'I too, am a shinobi. But just a Genin-Class. But as I never even enlisted in the military as I have no loyalty to the village who made life difficult, you can call me a Nukenin, a Rogue Ninja I suppose.'

'Heee...'

'I'm also classified as an adult there.' Naruko continued. 'The minute you are a Genin at age 12-13, you are old enough to even get married...and your duty is of course, produce as many descendants as possible who'd just be another soldier in the roster if you really did marry that young. I don't want my children to be born just to fight and die for a world I don't even like.'

'Looks like its a mystery we'll have to see through when we all get our licenses.' said Kurapika. 'Are those sailors of yours still there?'

'They change location as many times as Hunter Exam Sites change every year. If I were to go back, I'll have to hunt for them just to go back and pay them to ship me back.' she told them. 'Their ship will really stand out. Its built for surviving the journey. They care more for what keeps you alive as toll. The only time they care for money is when the ship needs repairs. The waters beyond the Border Islands are full of random rogue waves even on a clear good weather day and nasty sea beasts that the trip alone is based on luck whether you live or die.' said Naruko. 'I paid them in bulk with preserved foods, fruit and rice enough for the seven-month journey.'

'Well...shiiit...that means that's a load of food you paid them with.' Leorio croaked out.

'Un.'

Naruko had ways to prove she was a ninja.

Her jutsus alone was a dead giveaway.

When they fought prisoners, she created two clones of herself. One: to demonstrate the fact that she basically created Suicide Bomber Clones of herself, and threatened her opponent that he'll blow up with her clone.

Then in other traps, she effortlessly helped them survive by doing stunts too impossible for a normal human to do.

The final kicker?

She unrolled a scroll with so many squiggles surrounding a big character in a circle.

'What's this?' Kurapika asked her.

'Dinner.' said Naruko. 'Incase you hadn't noticed...we haven't eaten for a whole day now and its now midnight.'

'Huh?! Its night already?!' Gon cried in disbelief.

'It says so in our watches.' Naruko quipped. 'Our watches are in digital mode. 12 is noon, and 24 which is basically 12+12 is 24. Our clocks now say 24:00.' she said, pointing at her own watch, making them look at theirs.

'She's right.' said Leorio. 'So we have to do our time by 12 before it reaches 72 which is our deadline...'

'Yeah, we're here for three days which means we cannot sleep at all or lose precious minutes to pass this phase.' said Kurapika worriedly.

They watched Naruko form some hand seals, nipped her thumb till it bled and smeared it on the big character where the blood disappeared...out came smoke and...a giant roasted pig.

'Isn't this back from Biska Woods?!' Killua gawked out as they stared while trying to register in their minds how could she put a whole giant roasted pig inside a scroll with weird writing!

'Yup. I took the opportunity to stock up on rations back there after doing my test.' said Naruko. 'Because there's no telling when we'll get to eat again.'

'...no argument there...' Kurapika choked out. 'Stand back, I'll at least cut off meat chunks we can hold to eat for dinner before Naruko puts the rest away.' he said, drawing out his sword, and cut out meat chunks for them to eat before Naruko sealed the pig away.

With this stunt, they really believe her now as last Kurapika checked, no tribe or ancient culture can do what she just did!

In the meantime, Lippo was phoning the President...

'I see...is that right?'


	2. Chapter 2

Survival Week

After various traps, they came to the last floor...

'Oh my...three will go ahead and two will be left behind if we take the safer and faster path, and then on the other hand, five can go ahead but it'll be a longer path?' Naruko mused as they saw the sign.

'In that case, how much time do we got left?' Leorio asked the others. 'Those dumbass traps and trick paths got us lost real bad I hate to look at my watch.' he said with a cringe.

'9 hours and 10 minutes...the long path that allows all of us in requires over forty hours while the other path is three minutes, but only three people are allowed.' said Kurapika.

'I have an idea.' said Naruko. 'We choose the X door so this way, five of us can go and I have something in mind.' she said. 'I got this idea considering we have weapons and wood here...we can pass with no need for betraying anybody.'

'Eh? Really?' Gon gasped out. The blonde girl nodded.

'Then in that case...' they all pressed X for the door to open...Naruko went ahead to get in, but she braced herself...and punched the door strong enough to bash her way to make a hole.

'...see? We do it this way.' she said to several jaws dropping. 'And judging by the size of this place...its a slide all the way down that by the time we get there, we'll be severely scraped raw...so its fortunate that Killua has a skateboard, and I have tools on me that can make the impossible possible. Help me make a raft maneuverable enough in this small tunnel and we tie it to the skateboard.' she said, taking out a scroll, and unsealed tools meant for building a shelter.

'Yosh! Let's do this!' Leorio cried eagerly as they got to work, chopping wood off the spears and axes present, tying them together and Kurapika measuring the sizes...

xxx

'I gotta admit, not even I thought of that in my day.' Lippo chuckled. 'But still, for an otherworlder to be this powerful at such a young age...'

xxx

Upon finishing the raft but needed a bigger hole to fit it through...they slid all the way down, with about two hours lost in building a sturdy raft to hold all five of them. There was thus, a few more hours to spare.

'Owww...'

That three-minute slide, was an extremely rough slide never to be allowed for public, especially CHILDREN but sadly, a bunch of kids took the plunge just to pass.

'That was rough...' Leorio complained.

'No kidding, my hands are full of blisters.' said Kurapika.

'At least we got out of there!' Gon chimed. 'Naruko's idea was really good!'

'Its only common sense since in our group, nobody has a traitor's bone in it at all.' said Naruko. 'That's a good thing. If we have a traitor, I would have killed them myself.'

'Well, good thing a certain someone isn't with us or that bastard would be a smear on the wall by now.' Leorio sneered.

'Someone?' Gon blinked, forgetting who it was when he met him long ago.

'If you forgot, all the better.' Kurapika sighed. 'I'd rather forget him too.'

'I don't see him here maybe he couldn't find a hidden door, got trapped or killed.' Leorio snickered.

Killua thought Leorio and Kurapika sure are vindictive...he's the one other who knows they're pissed at Tonpa. Judging by Naruko's clueless expression, she has no idea who he is, having never met him.

There are only twenty-five people who made it through. One died, making it twenty-four.

At the outside...their stress wasn't over yet.

'Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations on having escaped Trick Tower.' Lippo spoke. 'Only the Fourth Phase and Final Phase remain.'

'Two more...' Hanzo gulped as two more to pass.

'The Fourth Phase will begin over there...Zebile Island.' said Lippo, pointing backwards behind himself with his own thumb, to a small island in the distance. 'Let us proceed.'

He made them come forward in the order they left the tower to pick a number...and it became a game of Hunt or be Hunted.

Her own badge is worth three points and her designated target is also three points, totaling the six she needs to pass.

However, her number is someone she cannot bring herself to deal with...so she took three badges worth a point, and hid herself on top of a canopy, only coming down to eat and bathroom relief.

And even if she grew to like the boys, she would never interfere so she stayed where she is.

Besides, in an exam where anyone can die anytime, the less attachments whose loss she'd get hurt from the better.

She genuinely liked them, but weaker than her, the one coming close to her was Killua in strength and fighting ability, but he's below her by about eight notches in her sealed state, but if she unseals herself, he is no match for her.

Well, she watched and watched Gai, the strongest man in Konoha in regards to insane stamina, endurance, physical and muscular fitness, and being extremely strong and fast. His training is insane that she stole needed items to emulate him without losing her physique as a girl. She can imitate technique, but NOT the body training level and maturity needed. Had she done them herself, she would get injured either for days, weeks, months to a year or more or permanently. Thus during her Academy days, she trained instead of attending most of the Academy Hours she never even needed, but only came for appearance's sake as there were eyes on her sometimes.

Of course, she recovers fast. So her training progress is faster.

Then the rest, was easy.

She became who she is today for survival's sake.

She has no concept of home, emotions, family, friends, bonds and loyalty even if she knew what her world is like, and she has a very twisted personality based on her upbringing. But she knows full well what she wants based on her life. Freedom, home, necessities, safety, and companionship.

She would discard weak friends in fear of the pain, and keep the strong friends who won't leave her alone by dying first, which was why she did not interfere with the exams of the boys while watching.

Gon's target was Hisoka of all people. Hisoka let him live on a whim when he could have killed Gon by merely a flick of his wrist as when she looked at Hisoka, her instincts and something within her screamed danger in all-caps, bold and neon-red and never have anything to do with him ever again.

Kurapika's target was the monkey-user. Kurapika knows how to outwit him, but the problem was the monkey and Kurapika is no ninja, but he managed somehow.

Leorio's target is the girl with the funny hat whose target was the snake-charmer. He's been stalking her for days now because even he is wary of her. Smart guy, because appearances are always deceiving, a trait Naruko herself exploited by looking cute, wearing flowers in her hair, lip gloss and a Yukata.

Killua's target is one of the triplets. Too easy for him.

So she waited out her week and continued spying with her fly-clones...and she realized that in the end, she just can't leave well enough alone after all.

"Really...why am I helping them out...?" she wondered.

She doesn't understand her own feelings.

Her feelings that despite her rationale and beliefs...she actually cares.

xxx

Upon arriving at the cave...

She was just in time to hear running footsteps...out came Gon, carrying Kurapika, Leorio and Ponzu.

'...I don't think I want to know.' Naruko lied in a flat expression as possible. Gon has numerous snake bites on him.

'Ah, Naruko!' Gon cried happily. 'Have you gotten your tag?'

'Un.' Naruko nodded as she took out three tags. 'My target...I really don't want to deal with that one, so I took these three.'

Gon froze.

Naruko was strong. Very strong. Yet other than Hisoka, there's someone else who's so strong in this exam that even she didn't want to deal with?

'Is he strong?'

'No. I didn't want to target this person so I hunted others instead.' said Naruko as she pointedly looked at Leorio.

'Geh?! Leorio's your target?!' Gon gulped.

She nodded.

Forget Ponzu, Leorio...no, anyone who wasn't Hisoka won't last against her!

'Well, wake them up now.' said Naruko. 'Except for bee-girl.'

'O-oh yeah, I can't since the gas is so strong...' said Gon sheepishly as he put them down. He put a number on her lap and frisked Ponzu for her badge. 'Well, you get this one aaaand...for transport expenses. Don't bear a grudge against me!'

Naruko snorted in amusement.

'Let's go to the starting point.' she said. 'We're pretty far from there, it will be a bad idea if we spend the night here. We're five hours away from the starting point. Being late might get us disqualified come morning.'

'Eh? Oh, OK...' and the two kids carried Leorio and Kurapika, leaving for the Starting Point to settle down there in a tent.

'Wow, you have about everything in paper...' Gon sweatdropped as she took out a tent, but only a bed for herself since she never thought she'd be sharing space with people. Tent, Cookingware, Groceries, etc. The only thing they have to get the hard way, was water and she was making Pork Curry with Rice. Not only that, she only brought items good for one person only, so she created wooden plates and spoons.

'Well, at least I managed to make full-use of this tent for once...I brought it as a just in case, but with this exam, no way I can use it in the past few days as my Hunter is most likely looking for me.' Naruko explained. 'I can't sleep peacefully in a tent that way. Reckless and stupid.'

'I guess so...'

'Hey, that smells pretty nice.' Killua and Pokkle came out.

'Mind sharing?'

'Eh? If you got your six points yes. If not, we will have to be wary of you.' said Naruko as she turned her right hand's nails into sharp, dangerous three-inch claws as a warning and she looks ready to fight.

While the claws unnerved Pokkle, for Killua its a normal sight since he can do the same, just that his and his family's wasn't _that_ long...

'Don't worry, I got six.' said Pokkle, showing her his tags.

'Yeah, me too.' said Killua, showing his. She retracted her claws and they can peacefully sit down. 'By the way, where's Kurapika and Leorio?'

'Sleeping off Soporific Gas.' said Gon. 'Here's what happened...'

Gon told them what happened in their time together. During that time, the food became ready.

'Well...wow.' Pokkle gulped. 'I'm glad he's not my target! I'm good, but not that good! Not even I can deal with so many snakes!' he exclaimed. 'In traps, he wins. In combat, I'd win.' he said while eating curry. The carrots and potatoes are boiled so soft. The Onions are also boiled that it melts in the mouth from over-boiling. The pork is ... '...roasted?' he blinked. The pork was roasted before it was boiled into the curry. Its good.

'Ah, its from the roast pork back in our cooking exam.' said Killua. 'She kept it as rations.'

'How the hell did you hide away a pig that big?!' Pokkle squawked, wide-eyed in shock. The Great Stamp Pork, the adult ones are as tall as a double-deck bed and wide as a super-king bed. 'I can understand camping gear but all this time, all you have is a pouch, not even a big bag of camping gear like I have!'

'Tribal secrets.' said Naruko.

Killua and Gon who knew didn't say anything.

After a meal, they went to sleep that by around six in the morning wherein by then the leftovers are eaten...

/The Fourth Phase of the Exam has just ended!/ a woman's voice called out. /Will the remaining participants please return to the Starting Point at once. You will be given an extra hour of time. If you do not return during this time, you will fail the exam. Furthermore, you are not allowed to exchange tags after reaching the Starting Point. Anyone caught switching will be disqualified!/

'Well, we all passed and we got good food on top of it all.' said Leorio as when they woke up, all that's left was the pot of curry, rice, and their plates and spoons.

After eating breakfast, Naruko sealed the pots away and they left the wooden spoons and plates on the ground.

Soon, the others arrived. Hisoka, Hanzo, Gittarackur, and Bodoro.

A ship soon came and a woman came out.

'We will now check the tags of everyone here!' she said, carrying a pen and clipboard to note the tags and point-worth.

Hisoka has 384-3, 80-1, 281-1, and 118-1.

Pokkle has 53-3 and 105-3.

Killua has 99-3 and 199-3.

Gittarackur has 301-3 and 371-3.

Bodoro has 191-3 and 34-3.

Hanzo has 294-3, 194-1, 362-1 and 89-1.

Naruko has 150-3, 80-1, 198-1 and 197-1.

Gon has 405-3 and 44-3.

Kurapika has 404-3 and 118-3.

Leorio has 403-3 and 246-3.

'That's ten people!' the woman declared.

xxx

In the Airship, the Examiners got word that out of the 22 people, 10 passed...and everyone can finally have a break.

However, the Chairman wanted to interview them one by one...


	3. Chapter 3

The Final Exam

When it was Naruko's turn to be interviewed...since she was deliberately called _last_...

'I've been wanting to meet you since Lippo told me about you.' said Netero as Naruko sat in seiza. 'He told me what you told your friends...and I can't help but be interested.' he said. 'You see, its something only the top-most echelons and government people know of. The fact that we are in a lake with four other, unexplored worlds that also have border islands. As we speak, we are looking for those sailors who took you here because we too, wish to explore the unknown. We are Hunters after all.' he said. 'Can you tell me about yours?'

'Well, wars happen a lot there.' said Naruko as she took out many scrolls. 'I hope you can read Japponese because they still use the language of their ancestors...the world we came from.' she said. 'Wars happen like, every few decades from even the pettiest of matters which starts it. When I was four years old, Konoha, my village and Kumo, a foreign village we have a history of war with made an alliance. However, in the end it was a farce as they snuck in to kidnap the Hyuuga Clan heiress in hopes to steal the bloodline by making a broodmare out of her. The Byakugan is both like a medical scanner that shows everything and telescope to see long distances in 360 degrees save for a blind spot, and it can see Chakra, the power we use for our ninpo...and Chakra Coils where that power flows. Due to that, they created a lethal martial arts style wherein even one poke is a fatal injury and Kumo wanted that power. When the clan caught the kidnapper but accidentally killed him, you can guess what happened and war was barely averted somehow by the higher-ups.'

'I see, they denied and played the victim card demanding reparations?' Netero said thoughtfully.

'Yup.' Naruko nodded. 'Not to mention, the level of technology there is...well, analog compared to this world. Think the 80s here in your history books. That's our technology there.'

'Ohhh...'

'Due to that, people compensate with ninpo instead to somehow advance technology.'

'Tell me about chakra and ninpo.'

'...it'll take me forever so read this, this, this and this.' Naruko grabbed one scroll...and unsealed the contents which was full of books and laid them out one-by-one. At least, one book per topic regarding Chakra Training and mechanics of Nin and Genjutsu. Then another scroll containing culture and history books, and a Bingo Book. Netero sweatdropped.

'...that's a lot of books.' he deadpanned.

'Its common knowledge worldwide where I'm from so I do hope you know Japponese.' said Naruko.

'Oh I do, my father's Japponese.' the chairman pointed out. 'Netero is my family name and most people _forget_ I actually _have_ a first name.' said Netero wryly, raking his fingers in his beard.

'Oh yes, that's all I'll give you, the rest you're on your own. You're Hunters after all...just don't get the bad sort of attention and you'll be fine...I think.' Naruko mused thoughtfully. 'I have yet to see how Hunters fight. If Hunters are stronger than ninjas, I hope for Hunter Training as well to survive the next world. The world closest to here is a year away from the northern border islands...that's really far you know...and west of that world is just as bad in distance. It somehow gets farther and father that the sailors really don't wanna risk it because the farther you go...the nastier rogue waves and sea-dwellers are.'

'Well, I and two others would know that best.' said Netero. 'We've been to the Dark Continent...and that world, is hell itself.' he shook his head. ' _Anything_ can kill you there.'

'Will you show me what the Dark Continent is like?' Naruko asked him. 'The sailors merely said its hell but that's pretty vague.'

'We would have taken pictures, but our lives are more important about fifty years ago.' said Netero. 'Ten minutes on the shore alone...we ran back to our ship and fled.' he shuddered. 'That place turned my hair pure-white and aged my friend Rinne so bad from fear. We were there on orders from the V5...and when they didn't believe us, they sent their own expeditions...and brought back disasters.' he told her grimly. 'So what's the other world like?'

'The world north of here huh? Even weirder. They have what people call Spirit Blacksmiths there whose production of weapons quality depends on your female companion's feelings for you, so most who take that job tend to be good-looking guys and skilled womanizers and that world is way more behind than this one. And locations of each civilization? Stupidly far from each other the sailors swear they're no good in land management and exploitation. They told me to take their word for it so I'll go there next out of curiosity.'

'Er...right...but you're a pretty girl who'd grow up into a lovely young woman...aren't you afraid of being chatted up by a blacksmith there?'

'I'm a ninja so I can just ditch him.'

After talking to her, Netero read the books...

And planned out his exam...

xxx

Next day, in a hotel three days after their Fourth Exam...

They were all in a wide hall big enough for a big party to fit about 50 people comfortably.

'I hope everyone has rested well.' said Netero as in that hall is just them, and some men in suits. 'We are here in a Hotel managed by the Committee. Until the end of the Final Round, this place will be yours.' he said as he looked at them one by one, and walked towards a covered board. He then took a fistful of cloth while saying, 'The last test will be a one-on-one duel.' he declared as that was one thing they didn't expect. 'The groups are the following:' he said as he yanked the cloth.

Its 150-301-53-99-294-405-191-404-44-403 in a tournament-style pairing.

'Good...and now the rules...win one and you pass the exam.' Netero quipped to their stunned expression. 'In other words, winners quit the game one by one. The principle of the pyramid is to designate the loser who flunks.'

'So there will be only one who fails huh?' Hanzo asked him.

'Exactly.' said Netero. 'Consequently each person has two tries before succeeding. Any questions?'

'The pyramid isn't well-balanced.' Bodoro stated unhappily. 'Why is that?'

'That's a logical question.' said Netero. 'These groupings are based on the results you have in your previous rounds. The ones who got good marks until now have a better chance of passing.'

'I don't like it.' said Killua. 'Explain how you counted the points.'

'Impossible.' and Netero said it in the most mockingly-blank expression he could make to ire Killua.

'S'cuse me?!'

Netero explained the basis but not the points counted...and the final rule of 'no killing'...

'Let's begin the Final Round!' one of the suits declared. 'First Round: Gittarackur VS Naruko!'

'You off the bat, huh?' Killua frowned as Naruko and Gittarackur stepped to the middle of the hall.

'Aa. But...I feel that this man is on the same level or possibly greater than Hisoka I got no clue and I'm not taking any chances.' said Naruko as she removed her weights by reaching into her sleeves and then parting her skirt to remove the ones on her thighs. For now, they look simple and she put them gently on the floor.

'Those weights look cheap...I wish I could say that but...' Leorio sweated nervously. 'Knowing her what's cheap is outrageous.'

'Aa. She's insanely strong.' said Kurapika. 'And she destroyed that wall while weighted...' he swallowed.

'...How can that frail li'l missy be strong?' Hanzo asked them. 'She looks like a frail lass.'

'That 'frail lass' just punched a hole in the wall when we teamed up in Trick Tower!' Leorio sputtered. 'And other crazy things! And if she says pinhead over there is a Hisoka-Class Fighter, I'm believing her!'

Hisoka looked interested.

TOO INTERESTED as 'Gittarackur' removed his pins...and his whole head looked like invisible hands are mashing his head like clay that freaked most people out. And to Killua's horror...

'A-aniki?!' he yelped, wide-eyed. 'What the hell are you doing here?!'

'What am I doing? Well, I need a license to be hired for higher-level jobs because the clients are a bit more troublesome.' said Gittarackur with a sigh. 'So yes, I'm here.' he said as he faced his opponent. 'Well, I also got hired for a little something...' and he looked at Naruko intently. 'Naruko. The client wants to see your full capabilities so I'm afraid I will not be going easy on you.'

'I know. You smell like S-Class Jonin back home. The smell of blood is really thick, thicker than Killua's smell.' said Naruko. 'Smell alone is a giveaway even if you wear a dress and pretend to be a princess.'

'I'm not into crossdressing but if my client wants to I would even if I find it unpleasant.' the man sighed before the pair disappeared...and next thing, blows were exchanged. It was all they could hear.

Most of the people can only look in disbelief. Netero was eyeing the whole thing while Hisoka looked like he saw something shiny and wants it.

'H-holy...she's on even skill with aniki?' Killua choked out, horrified and in utter disbelief.

'So it would seem!' Kurapika gasped. 'And who is he? Surely Gittarackur isn't his name or I'd honestly wonder about naming senses.'

'His name is Illumi, the oldest son in the family.' said Killua. 'He's about 21 this year and by far the strongest brother.'

When the two appeared again...at first it seemed like they're in good condition, but damages began appearing a split-second later. Torn clothes, injuries whether slashes or bruises, and even cut hair unevenly.

'...humm...I learned a lot from you.' said Naruko, nodding. 'Frankly you're my first serious fight and I like it very much.' she told him. 'I didn't have this kind of opportunity back home because where I came from, standing out is an extremely bad idea. Here, nobody gives a damn and you just get better jobs, that's it. So I had to pretend to be weak years ago.'

'What are you?' Illumi asked her.

'I'm a ninja.' said Naruko. 'But a ninja who never made it into the military since I don't like how things work. I decided to just be out for myself, subservient to no one I don't like.'

'Then who's your teacher?'

'Nobody.' said Naruko. 'All I did was watch how they train while sneaking around. I was born with the ability to analyze anything to nitpicky details that I learn things faster and improve and tweak them to my comfort. Its how I learn even with no teacher. I would use other skills but...I might destroy this hall or accidentally kill someone...so I'll restrict myself to Taijutsu only.'

'Then, show me something that won't kill anyone.' Illumi asked her.

'OK but this is meant for a certain audience...I don't recommend kids looking...and its about two of my only harmless ones but appropriate for the job if only as a distraction. The rest will destroy this place.'

Those six words got the committee into alarm.

'YOU'RE A KID TOO!' Menchi, Killua, Gon, Pokkle, and Leorio yelled.

'In my country, ninja become Genin at 11 or 12. Adult in the eyes of the law so I am an adult in our laws while here, the laws state you're kids, Gon, Killua.' Naruko pointed out.

'Crikey, she's right...its the same for my village too.' said Hanzo. 'Sooo yeah, she's an adult and you two, kids, so whatever this is, cover your eyes and not a peep.' he said as Naruko formed handseals and filled the room with about clones enough to fill a room...and then they all turned into smoke and to many's disbelief...its a lot of pairs of naked, handsome men either doing heavy petting, making out or all-out sex while looking flushed and aroused!

'GAAAAH?!' 99.9 of the room screamed as Kurapika and Leorio covered Gon and Killua's eyes while horrified at the sight.

'Uh...' Illumi had no idea how to react or what to say. But he was absolutely bamboozled!

'I call this 'Ninpo: Fujoshi Rakuen.' said Naruko calmly as if the sight didn't faze her one bit. 'I can even do the boy-girl version if you like.' she offered.

'HELL NOOOO!' a lot of people yelled, red-faced.

'That's your safest technique?!' Hanzo yelled, pointing at her in utter exasperation.

'As a kunoichi, we are good at distraction and seduction you know. These jutsu fit the part because shinobi do the front lines.' Naruko quipped. 'So you boys got no clue what we girls do to get the job done.' she pointed out. 'Sore ni, this jutsu never fails no matter who I try it on so I say its a success, no?'

'Turn it offff!' some of the audience yelled.

'...turn what off?' Gon asked helplessly. 'I can't see a thing.'

'You're better off not knowing.' Kurapika grunted.

'Yes yes.' the scene of gay-love disappeared so Leorio and Kurapika removed their hands from the boys' eyes. 'So can we get back to fighting? I mean, one of us has to win sometime soon...'

'I concur. I sort of regret asking you to demonstrate...'

'Eh? Why?'

'I think I'm traumatized for life.'

'You don't look the part.'

"He really doesn't!" came collective sweatdrops. They fought again until eventually, Naruko was defeated because of her frailer body that gave her more damage and she fainted.

'Well, she's still alive.' said Illumi, looking quite banged up and the most he did was cover his hair. 'Oh, and Kill?'

'What?' Killua asked him warily.

'I'm telling mother and father about this find. Its hard to find a bride and groom from the outside worthy of the family after all.' Illumi said cheerfully that greatly contrasted his blank expression.

'W-WHAT THE HEEEELL?!' Killua yelled, gobsmacked. 'I hardly know her for crying out loud!'

'Then do so.' Illumi said as if explaining to a child. 'Originally, mother asked me to bring you home but this changes things.'

'SHE WHAT?!'

'Hey Hanzo,' said Gon, 'What does the words 'Ninpo Fujoshi Rakuen' mean?' Gon asked him innocently, utterly clueless about the language.

'You're too young to know that so I ain't sayin' shit!' Hanzo choked out, flustered.

'Ehhh whyyy?'

'Ever heard of R-18, dumbass?!'

'No.'

'Arrrgh, just shuddup!'

The next fight was Hisoka VS Kurapika. Somehow, Hisoka whispered something to Kurapika after a few minutes of fighting and announced that he quit.

Third match: Pokkle VS Naruko and unfortunately for him, she's awake and he was quick to resign for the next round.

'I guess that means I win.' Naruko snorted. 'I'll take a shower and change clothes then.'

'But what about your injuries?' Kurapika fretted over her. She was black and blue and bloody.

'Oh, its healed. I heal fast, see?' Indeed, despite the blood, there's no bruises and wounds. 'What takes days or hours takes minutes for me instead depending on severity. What takes months takes weeks.' her words made the listeners freeze where they stood. 'Oh, when I come back, can I get a haircut? That guy messed up my hair.' she said, childishly pointing at Illumi.

'You messed up my hair too.' he retorted jokingly, since his long hair looked partially cut asymmetrically at the back Killua thought he'll wear his hair short again like in his teens.

'As if there's a parlor near here...do that after the whole exam is over, will you?' Leorio sweatdropped.

Fourth Match, Hisoka VS Bodoro. This time, Hisoka defeated him in one hit, whispered something and after that, Bodoro gave up.

Fifth Match: Killua VS Pokkle. Pokkle thought Killua was no Naruko...how wrong he was. He was defeated twice.

Sixth Match: Leorio VS Bodoro. Leorio requested that for a fair fight, they postpone his fight until Bodoro is somewhat 'decently recovered' and its against his code as an aspiring doctor to fight an already-injured person. Request granted.

Seventh Match was Gon VS Hanzo...Hanzo just can't make Gon surrender and knocked him out when breaking his arm didn't work.

Eighth Match was Pokkle VS Hanzo. Two people with already one and two losses. Since Hanzo is also a ninja(albeit a primitive one, considering his heritage, she thought since he can't use Chakra) and Pokkle is a long-range fighter...bad match.

Ninth Match was Leorio VS Bodoro. Bodoro was respectful of Leorio since he was fair and did not sully their honors due to their codes. It was a close call and Leorio has a knife...and the final match was between Bodoro and Pokkle.

Both were injured and with the Hunter Title on the line as well as the 'ultimate loser'...Pokkle knew he wouldn't make it this year.

And so...after the Hunter Classes that explained their privileges, do's and don'ts what they cannot do because they are now 'Rookie Hunters'.

Snip! Snipsnipsnip! Snipsnip! Snip!

'There, all done.' said Leorio as he cut Naruko's hair into a round, chin-length bob with even bangs on top of her eyebrows. 'How is it?'

'Its nice and bouncy. I like it.' said Naruko as she patted her hair. 'Are you really an aspiring doctor?'

'I am!' Leorio sputtered defensively, flustered. 'I gotta learn how to cut hair since some time ago I can't afford a salon you know. I care more for rent and food so things people are too lazy to do like haircut and laundry I do myself.'

'Oh...'

'Well, at any rate, your injuries sure heal fast...I'm shocked.' said Leorio. 'What kinda tribe are you from?'

'Oh, the Uzumaki Clan.' said Naruko. 'The Uzumaki are a clan of those with powerful life force and with it, we live up to near 200s while physically aging slower than normal humans.' she got that information from too much sneaking around and that revelation stunned Leorio. 'We can also allow people to bite us in order to heal or just recover their energy. Due to this, enemy nations envied our clan in the past and either committed kidnappings for bloodline theft and when they didn't want to cooperate because hey, that's a life of slavery and exploitation so they have a ninpo to incinerate their bodies and kill themselves. Since kidnappings failed, an all-scale attack was launched with heavy casualties on the enemy side, and my clan scattered into hiding into obscurity since enough is enough. Ninja in my home world are greedy and opportunistic exploiters by nature bordering on soullessness for convenience's sake to empower their military and we hated them but to survive we had to become one to fight them off or simply commit suicide so they can't desecrate us in death by experimenting on us to have our traits for themselves or something.'

She's not going to reveal too much and gave an edited version.

'That's horrible...' Leorio winced as he sat on the chair near her. 'So in your village...'

'I'm the only Uzumaki there since my parents died but I ran away after stealing enough information to help myself live a little longer. The rest is as you know it.'

'Erps...'

'Well, this world of yours is peaceful at least. I like that.'


	4. Chapter 4

Departure

That night since the graduation party was three days away...

Naruko was on the balcony outside her bedroom, looking at her Hunter's License.

"Even having this isn't enough." she mused.

Apparently, to prove her strength and worth, she still has to be at least, a One-Star Hunter in order to have more access to places ordinary humans cannot go to.

'Haaa...so annoying...first we need a license card and then the number of stars increase for more access to locations?! Maybe I should go to that third place! Rules there must be easier but it'll take me a year to find that ship again...' Naruko moped. 'I should have gone here last had I known this will happen.'

xxx

In another area, Leorio told Kurapika and Gon about what was told to him since 'it would not matter anyway'.

'I see...so its like that.' said Kurapika. 'But still that's horrible. I don't think even as Hunters, we should go there.' he said. 'Compared to ours, we really have it peaceful here. She's strong out of necessity due to what she is. Had she been an ordinary civilian, her life would be easier but she's from a clan with special traits.'

'So Kurapika, what's going to happen to a Kuruta there if you went there?' Gon asked him.

'Well, my clan's eyes just go red and we get a boost of strength and speed...when I was a child, I could overpower three adults so I guess my strength doubles or triples depending on my default condition _so I definitely must train._ ' Kurapika explained. 'That's not special enough in her world so I'll be left alone at best...I hope. Bad enough that here, my clan's eyes are a Flesh Collector's treasure.' he scowled. 'I wonder if there's a world where I don't have to worry about this ever again and live a peaceful life without having to isolate myself for it someday.' he wondered gloomily.

'Well, if there's a world like that, you can find the ship she's talking about and go there.' Gon piped up. 'Though that means we can't see you anymore which is lonely but people take what's best for them, right?'

'But the price is enormous.' Leorio shuddered. 'The journey from her world to ours beyond the Border Islands is a seven-month distance. That's not even including the travel time from land to Border Islands which takes a shittily long time too. Three months straight so that means ten months to get to our world's borders, and then three or so months to make landfall wherein by then, the ship would need maintenance and loads of supplies. I can already imagine how much jenny that'll cost since they accept payment in rations and medicine. As a ninja, that's easy for Naruko to accomplish since ninjas are pragmatic by nature to get the job done.'

'Yeah...she can seal massive amounts of items in scrolls.' Kurapika noted. 'But since she just wants to travel and not bother with jobs if possible...'

The words 'she'll steal' was left unsaid between all three of them.

Leorio and Kurapika knew how many cities will be emptied of its groceries and convenience stores just to meet the payment required by the sailors. That would mean loads of cities starving for days as people will compete for the remaining amount of food, all of which, are highly-perishable goods such as bread, eggs, meat, dairy products and organic vegetables. So the things she will steal, would be grains, sugar, salt, spices, bouillon products, canned goods, boxes of cereals, milk, coffee and chocolate powders, alcohol, hygiene and medical items, and coconut oil.

In fact, they know full well she would, regardless of that fact!

xxx

At another location...

'So, have you guys seen enough?' Netero asked...a group of twelve people present.

'Well, wow.' said a woman.

'That kid is as skilled as Illumi Zoldyck but she's frail compared to him.'

'Ninjas in her world are like that, huh?'

'Not quite, until you read those books.' said Netero. 'Naruko is a born genius and she told me what she can do what those in the exam do not know of as a sign of trust between aliens as she puts it.' he said. 'But she made it clear she does not like her home world due to how unstable things are, and looking for an ideal place to live in.'

'A born genius?' a man asked.

'Her ability to observe...is of such a high degree that she learns anything from what she sees.' said Netero. 'Had you been there, you would have seen that her skills are inferior to Illumi Zoldyck...until they fought that her movements got better and better until eventually, she's as good as him in fighting. That is something you would not see in a video which was why she was more injured than he was.' he pointed out. 'She calls her inborn ability 'Sight Training'. The flaw is that she must train her body to be capable of using what she's just learned otherwise she'll end up maiming herself if she went in raw so she made an ideal out of a person in her village and it paid off since she started emulating him. Once she's got enough of exploring our world, she'll go to the Third World next, north of ours since the remaining two worlds are so far its beyond their ship's technology and endurance.'

'We never explored those lands due to 'the fear of the unknown powers' in regards to traveling another world but at least now we gained information enough to venture there without getting our pants caught down.' said another guy.

'So what do these books say?'

'Well to sum it up, they're the modern and more dangerous version of ninja compared to the Japponese People who left that world long before ninja villages were founded. When I asked Hanzo about his abilities and in turn I had to tell him of his country's origins, he was shocked. Japponese Ninjas are nothing like their homeland. If I were to make a comparison, they're just a bunch of normal humans with 1 to 10th Dan in martial arts in comparison and their ninpo is utterly primitive and they don't even know what chakra is when I asked. However, as ninja in Naruko's world rely too much on ninjutsu and genjutsu, grossly neglecting their most important skills such as weapons and martial arts training, Hanzo would have the upper hand but he can never win if ninjutsu or genjutsu is used against him. These books are essentially, a 'trade' of information between us so that we can explore her world and know what to expect even if its a little outdated by a year due to the travel time it took her to get here.'

'But which is stronger? Chakra or Nen?'

'Well, in regards to versatility, Chakra exceeds Nen. But in power, force and effect and in most cases, the impossible becomes possible, Nen is better so she wants to learn Nen to be able to travel to the next world after surviving ours since her goal is to explore. That would take years, her whole lifetime to explore until she finds an ideal world. She is truly just a child fed up with how her homeworld works despite how it looks to naive eyes. I sense nothing else.'

'I see.' said another. 'So, we go to her world and find out all we could about it?'

'Yes, that is your mission. Amassing what the sailors charge will take time and finding them by satellite will be the easiest part. For them, money is understandably worthless. You can't eat money or use money to fix injuries after all...they'd only take money if their ship is seriously busted which is rare...and that itself is insecure so I say we go for option 2...OUR ships! We can just fly and avoid the dangers of the seas that way. But we need to make one hell of a GPS System so we can navigate back home.'

'That's true...'

'Oy Ging! Aren't you going to see your kid? He became a Hunter!'

'Meh, he should hunt me if he wants to meet me that badly.' Ging snorted. 'For now I'll watch his progress, good enough for me.'

'Jeez, guess who's the _last_ to earn the 'Father of the Year' award?' a childish woman's voice huffed.

xxx

'Uh-huh...yeah. Yeah...I...jeeez...' Killua groaned "Darn that Illumi!" he swore. 'Yeah...yeah...I dunno if she'll be OK with it since she wants to explore...that means I go with her obviously. Yeah. Yeah. Geh...wakatta.' Killua scratched his head. 'She doesn't even know what you guys decided yet I have no idea how she'll react and right now...and aniki went to tell her...'

In Naruko's room, the balcony...

'Found you.' Naruko didn't bother glancing as a now short-haired Illumi got to her balcony.

'What is it?' Naruko asked him.

'While you were sleeping off that KO move, can we talk all about you?' Illumi asked her. 'You see, with your strength, ability and the fact that you don't exist in all records...you must be sort of 'like us', therefore we find you an ideal bride candidate for my little brother.' he said.

'...like you?'

'Well, you know the Zoldycks, right?'

'Well, what the public knows of you for the most part.' said Naruko. 'So I won't bother yapping what you know what the public knows of you.'

'Sou ne...'

'But I have no idea what you mean by 'don't exist'. Me? Understandably but that is a tale for another time. But you? You're world-famous.'

'Fufu...well...that's also another tale for another time...' Illumi smiled mysteriously. 'So about the offer...'

'A bride huh? I know nothing about Killua. We're the closest in age but that's pretty much it.' said Naruko. 'And while I did many book studies...there's so much about people I don't know given how I lived alone for years. You can say I'm a failure as a human being in regards to 'being human' to make making a family possible. I'm aware of my lacking but I have no idea how to fill the holes either. All I have is common sense, survival instincts and pursuing ideals of what I want to have. Oh, I don't like traitors either. Plenty where I'm from its hard to trust anyone there.'

'So you have no concept of growing up with a family, friends and relationships?' that, and she's very blunt and frank about herself, and has no qualms giving information if she won't lose anything from talking about it nor would her listeners benefit.

'Yes.' said Naruko. 'My first time of companionship was during Trick Tower, wherein it was us five together. Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio and myself.'

'That's kinda problematic...' Illumi scratched his head.

'Indeed. I hardly feel anything either since I don't understand what everyone else has known for years as human beings and as people in society. I can read books but they are just mere words of knowledge. Comprehending, feeling and understanding is another story.' said Naruko. 'Where I came from...orphans must either adapt to survive if you're not adopted, or die. Orphanages where I'm from are a joke when I saw the orphanages here. There's no such thing as government-funded institutions for us where I'm from unlike here as most of my country's money go to the military and military research as well as funding operations and bringing in what runs a ninja village and the civilian council is corrupt. So think again before you bring me into your family. I'm pretty much a deviant human being your family will not like me if they see how utterly abnormal I am.'

Illumi looked thoughtful.

Indeed, he can somehow believe her as her expression and the way she talks speaks volumes, and it was absolute fact. She wasn't trying to dissuade him from what he and his family wants but rather trying to dissuade them because of what she is. Unlike him who was trained to maintain a poker face while he can still feel emotions to keep personal and professional lives separate to keep the family well-funded, Naruko was a total zero. Her perpetual expression was that of a doll's. Emotionlessly-innocent. Her way of speaking is matter-of-fact blunt-honesty tonelessness if she pretended to be a robot, she'd do well. She also has little sense of human values as she may have her own code as she despised traitors. Killua told him that she once told them that 'they have no traitor's bone' and she'd kill a traitor herself, having no tolerance for them which made him wonder.

Indeed, he'll have to talk to his parents again.

xxx

The Zoldyck Estate, Silva Zoldyck's room...

'Really? That is truly unfortunate.' he mused. 'I will think of what to do about that problem.' he put down his phone. 'Looks like she's far from ideal which needs some fixing...and we were so close.'

xxx

Graduation Party...

The graduation party's attendance is attended by the committee and passed nine examinees.

Naruko made sure to thoroughly bathe, scrub and groom herself before the night began, and requested a dry-cleaning and pressing service for her formal wear, a very fancy black furisode with blue-star morning glory prints and matching obi and accessories and on her head is an ornate hairpin that matched her outfit. The way her obi is tied represents the fact that 'she's available'.

'Hmmm...I look and smell nice...yosh.' putting on her tabi socks, then lacquered okobo before putting her outfit on with the help of a clone. 'This is presentable enough I think. I studied formal wear the rich use after all.' that, and she stole it off a high-end boutique in Jappon's capital city of Kyoto. Its hellishly expensive made of first-class silk with first-class artisan work on it. She also stole about five boxes of Beni lipstick because for her its just 'the right amount of red' for her lips. Upon applying it with chakra, it would look great and stick well no matter what she does.

Upon leaving her room, she closed her door behind her and went to the hall.

She joined up with others in the hall.

'Wow! That's a japponese outfit!' Leorio marveled at her kimono and she looks befitting of a girl from high-class family.

'Don't tell me you brought your closet with you?!' Killua asked her, doing a double-take.

'I don't have a house, of course I'm taking my closet with me.' Naruko pointed out.

From afar...observing the group of five, were Illumi and Hisoka.

'Well? How's the family arrangements?' Hisoka asked Illumi in bemusement.

'There are...complications and that's an understatement.' Illumi sighed. 'Naruko came from a place wherein she calls orphanages are utter jokes compared to here. You basically raise yourself there and as an orphan who's primary concern is survival, little else matters. She has little human values, a twisted view of the world, no emotions and no concept of family, relationships, friends and love. But she does hate traitors so she values loyalty very much, judging by Kill's testimony. That, and she does and takes what she feels is either ideal or what she feels is best for her and she's blunt about it.'

'Well to be fair us orphans are nasty pieces of work.' Hisoka chuckled. 'The world out to get us and nobody giving a damn makes us what we are now.'

'Well, knowing you two that statement couldn't be any more truer.' Illumi sighed. 'My parents want to meet this girl but given her personality...mom's probably planning how to make an ideal in-law out of her.'

'That's bound to be fun.'

'You haven't met my mom.' Illumi sighed rather in exasperated exhaustion. 'Only Killua can turn her down and ditch her.'

'Oh my, so even _you're_ whipped?' Hisoka looked ready to crack up in utter hilarity.

'Shuddup.'

xxx

In the party, Naruko was having her first taste of party foods of the wealthy.

Especially as Menchi cooked it all she never thought food can be this good and she was learning how to make dishes of this caliber just by tasting it and feeling the texture with her tongue while rapidly taking notes after taking bites by using a fork.

'Hey, what're you doing?' Killua asked her because she was rapidly writing in Japponese on a notepad.

'Oh, writing down a recipe notepad.' said Naruko. 'I learn how they're cooked by tasting it but I only bother to record foods I really like. Reference for the future I guess.'

'Heee...so your observation applies on what you feel and taste from it?'

'Yeah. So by eating I learn how to cook.'

'That's useful.' everyone sweatdropped.

'Can you at least write in a way we can understand at least?' Leorio snarked.

'After I write down some more, I'll translate. But I can only do this with foods with rich, savory flavors. I can't do this on bland food so bland I can't even recognize a component. That, and it takes a lot of practice on the aesthetic part since for now, my hands are too small and the fact that I hardly have time to cook. So while what I make tastes good, it looks like what you'd expect from a kid's cooking.'

'That's understandable...' Kurapika was glad some laws of nature somehow still work around this girl.

He had never met a girl who is crazy-strong, from another world from a near-extinct(or by now, _extinctforreal_ ) clan and an ability that makes her a prodigy.

However, the girl clearly has glaring issues of concern Leorio pointed out many warning bells as a self-trained doctor he has every right to be worried.

xxx

The next morning...

'Hey,' said Killua. 'Naruko, my family kind of wants to see you.' he said. 'Sooo you're going home with me.' he told her awkwardly, scratching his head.

'Oh...OK. You're really serious with this huh?' Naruko frowned. 'I'm fully-aware that as I am now, I'm the last person on earth who should marry.'

'And she can say that so bluntly...' Kurapika and Leorio deadpanned.

'Eh? Nande? Naruko you're a good cook and cute!' Gon pointed out.

'Gon, getting married to a guy takes more than that.' said Leorio. 'When a girl and a boy marries, their relation is so deep in regards to love and understanding of each other, and have incredibly-good relationship with each other enough to have a happy family. Its more than good looks and cooking skills.'

'Oh...family huh? That means kids right? How do you have them?'

Came the dreaded, awkward question.

Before Naruko can traumatize Gon, everyone else wisely shut her up.


	5. Chapter 5

The Zoldyck Estate

Republic of Padokea...

It is a republic composed of several parts including that of Dentora region where Kukuroo Mountain is found. Access to this country is free, with no special conditions to be met.

And so, when they arrived, they were taken by a limousine and it was a four-hour trip to the mountains.

By the time they arrived...it was late afternoon.

'We are here.' said a butler.

'Thanks, Goto.' said Killua. 'Now we gotta open the gate to get the car in.'

'Don't you have an automatic gate or something?' Leorio asked him.

'Ah, it doesn't work that way.' said Killua. 'Since everyone's after the price on our heads, my great-great-grandpa created this wall and the Testing Gate.' he said.

'Testing Gate?' Gon blinked owlishly.

'Yeah. It consists of seven doors. Each of the 2 panels of the first, smallest door weighs 2 tons, and a bigger panel weighs twice as much as the panel immediately preceding it.'

'That means four tons multiplied by two per gate...' Kurapika gasped. '4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 and 256?'

Naruko, Gon, Kurapika and Leorio went mental meltdown at that.

'Yup. Dad and grandpa can open seven, Illumi and mom can only do six...I can do three.'

'Oh dear...I can only do one ton...' Naruko gulped. 'The Jounin at home I emulated can only do so and I thought that's the limit of human strength...because back at my village, he is the strongest man in regards to stamina, endurance, physical strength, speed, and agility because he is a martial arts specialist.'

At that, she realized that Illumi held back, or she's mashed meat and smashed bone back at the exams.

That realization pretty much horrified her.

'Well, it just depends on the training.' said Killua. 'It takes trial and error to find the ideal regime.'

'Heee...so that means we'll train at these gates?'

'Yup.' said Killua. 'And the rules of the Family Head states that Invited Guests are Welcome if they can at least open a gate with their own power.'

'For now we shall lend a helping hand.' said the butler. 'However, only Miss Naruko who is invited can meet the family once she succeeds in training for the requirement. Everyone else must remain at the Guardhouse as you weren't invited.'

'Well, nothing we can do about that.' said Kurapika. 'And I'd rather not anger a Zoldyck. If Illumi can open the sixth gate which is 128 tons per door...it means _he drastically held back against Naruko_ back at the Hunter Exams or she's long dead by now as his full power can easily destroy her arm beyond all help.' he stated. 'He fought with only enough strength to match hers.' he theorized and concluded which makes sense as its the truth...a frightening truth.

Once they're in, they went for the Guardhouse.

'Zebro, Seaquant, these guys will stay here and train.' said Killua. 'Look after them well.'

'Yes, young master.' Zebro, a portly old man and Seaquant, a man with a scruffy hunter appearance bowed.

'We'll leave you guys here.' said Killua as he left with the butler.

'Well, you'll be in our care now.' said Zebro. 'The weak cannot live within this estate. And as soon as we can no longer open the Testing Gate, its equivalent to 'being fired' so we are in constant training.' he explained. 'We were informed that Miss Naruko possesses a strength of a ton, so we will adjust accordingly. You can have requests but it depends on privilege granted.'

'Heee...then, I'd like to request the maximum training allowed to Gon, Kurapika and Leorio.' Naruko piped up. 'Then for me, whatever the Zoldycks have in mind.'

'Yes ma'am, for the unknown guests, they are allowed to train to open up to the second gate only and by then if you master it, it won't take you effort to open it as a sign of mastery.' said Seaquant. 'After that they'll have to leave. Miss Naruko will then have to stay in the main estate for a while for arrangements once she opens the second gate.'

For Kurapika, this was a great opportunity as this means he can fight the spiders and kill them. Then if he trains under Naruko, all the better as her combat skills are top notch to become on par with Illumi in an instant.

And so they trained...revealing the fact that out of the boys, Leorio was the strongest as in a month, he was able to push the second door with struggle...while Naruko didn't need any effort. She stayed with them until they can all open the second door with no trouble before leaving her there.

However, what awaited her in the estate, was a rather unique family.

Naruko, who has no concept of family was shown a unique setting.

She was treated kindly...while enduring Mithridatism and Toxicological Pharmaceutical-Compounding Training. And to make her an ideal bride, the adults were determined to pound and hammer the concept of family into her. What it was like to have a father, what it was like to have a mother and grandparents...

For her, it was a big new world akin to stepping into new uncharted lands.

But for her, it felt _nice_.

The most normal ones so far, was the father, grandparents and Killua in personality. The whole family was informed of her fighting abilities by Illumi so when she showed the whole family while fighting Zeno Zoldyck(who had to hold back his full strength)...THEY APPROVE. They simply said 'her skill is ideal, but strength needs more work'. She didn't need to learn how to fight and kill from them, and instead focused on honing her strength and 'how to apply it properly' in tandem with her skill.

Illumi couldn't make facial expressions or chooses not to. Since he's out for his next job that required a license, he's not home and has nothing to do with her training.

The great-grandparents are sooo small from being super-old but also having sagely wisdom. They are the go-to by the kids if things 'get too much'. The Zoldycks also have their own brand of medicine that heals and avoids scarring...and also the reason why all of them, have alabaster-pale skins. They're in charge of that, too. If they pass away, their duties would fall to their son Zeno.

The mother Kikyo...well, she's excessive(?)ly doting and fussy and has opinions of what she should and should not do as 'bride candidate' and teaches her proper manners. During Naruko's 'interview', she mostly approves of her mindset regarding how and why she kills. She is in charge of Poison Training and telling her how to be a 'proper bride' which also doubles as guardian to her 'favorite son'.

The second oldest Milluki is a human balloon and hikikomori otaku. He had loads of computers and figurines. Since he hates physical work, his way of assassination was messy; insect robots that are remote-detonated bombs that as soon as they land on a target's head...BOOM. This was because while he DOES have the Zoldyck upbringing, he really hated physical work and made ways to compensate by being a hacker, informant and of course, still killing. He's also in charge of 'pain tolerance training' i.e torture. He was bamboozled that she didn't even flinch no matter what he did but in electric torture, was one thing she wasn't used to yet so _he rectified that very much_.

The youngest child Kalluto was elusive and awkward. Like Naruko, _he_ dresses in a kimono but instead of a yukata, he wears a furisode instead. Since he uses a paper fan and favors a type of combat...Naruko gave him pointers...and an actual pair of decorated tessen fans of good quality. He was also bamboozled with the fact that someone as old as his brother, was in fact, as skilled as his eldest brother in combat and killing, only dwarfed by them in strength and she was the weakest, even weaker than Kalluto himself in strength...until she got the Strength Training...for now, she was weaker than he but even he knew that she would surpass him soon because she was older and thus, had a more developed body ready for harder training.

The reason she can't smile yet was because poison training and electric torture training sucks...and trained in a new thing entirely in which she aimed for mastery with Kalluto while Killua spent much of his time with his father and grandfather who aims to increase his fighting level. And as technically part of the family, she has to let them know of her abilities...with devastating results that her family specialty was summed up as 'wanton destruction' which was why 'she'd rather not use them if possible'. Being wind-natured, she can create sharp, strong, and concussive winds and even suffocate enemies by denying them of life-sustaining air.

Because of her powerful chakra, she cannot do a low-level technique even if it killed her. Even worse, her Nen is just as potent and powerful when she got 'baptized'...and she's a dual-type to boot. Her primary-type is Reinforcement which she dedicated to Healing and Regeneration...but she becomes another thing if certain conditions are fulfilled. With the Shadow Clone Training, she masters her created Hatsus fast, but had to train the hard way in increasing her strength and potency until 'she reaches the pinnacle'.

She essentially stayed with the family for half a year, since the Hunter Exams and Graduation Party ended in January 31st...and Killua long left three months less, his mother utterly unhappy about it..

'Killua left home?' Naruko asked Kalluto as she trains Kalluto in techniques while maintaining her own Ren.

'Yeah. Mom wasn't too happy.' said Kalluto gloomily. 'Mom was crying.'

'Well, everyone has to leave home sometimes.' said Naruko as Kalluto shot her a surprised and somewhat-betrayed look, pausing in getting used to his new fans before Naruko signaled him to continue. 'I too, left a place I can never consider home. I can only call it 'a place I came from'. Because by going out, you'll see what the world is like. Its beauty, its ugliness...you'll meet people. People you'll like and people you'll downright dislike or even hate enough to murder. By traveling in a journey, you'll learn and experience things you'll never get at home. Its by going out that you'll find who and what you are, and how you'll grow as a person. Sometimes you'll see things that are scary but it can also show you good things that make you happy and enjoy those times. When you have had enough, you go home satisfied, knowing what to do from now on as an adult.' Naruko taught him.

'Killua craves for knowing the unknown because well, life is short isn't it?' Naruko continued with a small smile. 'And we're young only once. Children only once, adolescents only once, teenagers only once then adult until the grave. There are things we must experience at a certain point in life.'

'...what about you?'

'I don't know about you but I never had a childhood.' said Naruko as she looked up at the sky. 'All I know was everyone hated me and did all they could to make my life miserable while isolated. All I know was their hatred and beat me up to the brink of death if they catch me. Makes me wonder what my late parents did so they take it out on me. I knew torture well enough that no matter what Milluki did, the only thing that hurts was electricity. Poison hurts me too since I was never poisoned before. I had nothing and no one so I left to look for an ideal place to live in. I watched people to learn things I've never known, and denied to me. Things I need, I steal. Money, food, objects...I steal. And I don't care. I never get caught anyway.'

'Why?'

'Since the world never cared about me and only caused me pain and darkness, why should I care for them? Only my survival and comfort mattered at the time and also, I was out against the world I felt its my turn to cause them misery.' Naruko deadpanned.

Said misery came in the form of what Leorio and Kurapika calculated days ago. Back in the Elemental Nations, she stole several warehouses of food, hygiene and medical products, leaving many villages extremely troubled just to pay the ship she found. She sadistically imagined the people starving and no access to medical needs, the same thing she suffered almost every day in Konoha.

'To me, everyone else's lives have no value...until finally, I met people I can actually call companions in the Hunter Exam. I get along with Leorio and Kurapika the most since they bothered enough to teach and correct me...and then your family opened their doors to me. I tasted what its like to have adults who care for once and whats it like to have a family. I'm beginning to consider the offer but it depends on Killua himself and what the future brings. If he refuses me, I'll be given to someone else in the family to marry, that's that. Master Maha said so.'

'Oh...'

'Well, I'll spend my below-20 living my youth out as I grow up and experience things only young people can taste only once.' Naruko smiled. 'Kalluto should find what he wants in life too. I mean, Milluki loves computers and Japponese anime and video games so that's what he wants for fun. Killing is just a career anyway, but there's got to be something in life you really want so bad you'd do anything to have it. So what do you want in life while doing the family job? Killua went out for the same reason because the world in your estate is too small for him.' said Naruko. 'All work and no fun can drive a person batty and its kids who are most-affected by that while it takes longer to drive an adult nuts. There should be a balance and lines to be drawn and not crossed because working provides for family and having fun keeps you from stress and going nuts that apparently, its what pushed him into the 'rebellious phase' even if he didn't know what those words mean at the time when you told me about it.'

Kalluto paused.

That, was a question he couldn't answer.

His mind went blank as he paused in training again.

'Ah...I don't know...' he said, utterly flummoxed.

'Aaaand that's why you go out while making sure you don't die from work and come home. Dying is out of the question as you'll be leaving those who care for you.' Naruko chuckled, patting his head. 'I already know what I want but I still want to see the world. I guess after this I'll meet up with him in York Shin and start being a proper fiancee. I never see him here except for meal times since he's training to catch up and has to bite me a lot that the madam joked he's giving me love bites.'

Ohhh yes, Kalluto thought sarcastically, what a love bite.

When Killua bit her and consumed her energy, his training injuries healed in seconds flat as if nothing happened. A power greatly made use of to increase his brother's, as well as his own levels. Consuming her powerful, sublime energy was incredible but the ability tends to leave permanent bite marks, a trait of her clan's which was a dead giveaway to what she is, so it was something she rectified with her Nen Ability so progress was indeed, faster.

xxx

Zoldyck Estate, surveillance room...

Unknown to Naruko, during her stay in the mansion, she was watched and her actions recorded by Milluki's bugs and being watched by the adults on their free time. This was to observe her from afar to see if her true nature will come out when not observed.

It did, revealed by her conversation with Kalluto as she let her guard down around the youngest Zoldyck.

'The way she talks, one would think she's a resident of Meteor City but she's not even from there.' Zeno chuckled. 'I talked Netero out of the much-needed information and how the Zodiac are planning an expedition to where she came from. I think I'm of the mind to join them soon once York Shin's Auction is over.'

'You mean going to her world?' Silva asked him.

'Yes. I managed to wrangle a favor out of Netero. He owes me a few big favors after all and venturing to new lands that wasn't the Dark Continent. I want to see how these ninjas work and look into the problem she mentioned. What did her parents do indeed that nobody told her about yet happy enough to make her truly hate them all.'

xxx

When her stay ended, she left the Zoldyck Estate capable of opening the third gate with ease and trouble with the fourth as she had to go to York Shin in August.

No longer dressed in kimonos, now dressed like a preppy middle schooler. And like the family, she now has pale skin but no matter what they try, those whisker marks of hers just won't go away. In the months she stayed there, her hair grew longer again. In six months, her hair is shoulder length now. She no longer wears flower hairpins but rather ties her hair in a half-ponytail accessorized with a big bow.

She finds this fashion much cuter. She's twelve soon-to-be thirteen this october and her fiancee is a year younger than her.

It was normal in most marriages anyway that sometimes, the girl is older than the boy, followed by 'same age', and lastly, the ideal 'man is older than his wife'.

She explored York Shin as soon as she's arrived...as well as the underground auctions.

She's fully-aware Kurapika wanted some things...and it was time for treasures to be delivered into vaults and inventoried by the organizers.

There are two types of auctions. One held by the Mafia that goes September 1-5, and the legal law auction for 6-10.

She stole a catalogue for both auctions and did her research and knew the city's ins and outs...and on August 30 when items are delivered...she struck.

xxx

Zoldyck Family Estate...

'WHAT DID YOU SAY?!' came the gleefully-shocked outburst of one Milluki Zoldyck at dinner. 'Oh boy oh boy, send it here, now! Eh? Well if you got it _that_ way I'll just send someone over as long as I have that thing!' Milluki cried excitedly. 'Coincidentally, a few weeks back, Kill asked me to decode and decipher that very system through a memory he somehow obtained but I couldn't replicate it...oh fuck, seriously? No wonder!' he swore. 'I'll send a butler to your hotel room to get it! I want it in one piece, alright?! Thanks!'

'Who's that and what's going on, Mill?' Silva asked his second eldest.

'Naruko stole a few stuff delivered to the auctions this year dad...' several eyebrows rose to the adults' hairlines, family butlers included serving at their table and his little brother. '...she stole some items of interest though she didn't tell me what those were and she got me the Greed Island game because she thought I'd like it when she had originally no knowledge of games!' Milluki burst out. 'That thing's starting bidding price is 5.8 billion, no way I can buy that...' he swore. 'I'll arrange for a team to get it from Naruko as soon as possible!'

'Greed Island eh? Isn't that a Hunter's Only Game?' Kikyo raised an eyebrow.

'Because what most people don't know is that _the game is made out of Nen_.' Milluki groaned. 'No wonder no matter what I did I couldn't recreate the system...' he moped. 'I can't recreate Nen!'

'That explains the Hunters Only game rule.' Zeno blinked. 'However, we will have Naruko gather information first before we allow you to play the game because this is Nen we're talking about. Call her back and set it on speaker mode after three days.'

'OK.'

And three days later...

/Ah, about the game? From what I got out of a monkey, its an RPG Game you'd live in for real. You can even eat food and sleep in a hotel there and the setting is in a fictional island. Oh, you can only use the game world's money, our money is useless in there so you'll have to do quests to get Greed Island money as its the only currency NPCs will accept. However, Player Killing is real as ill-repute players will attack you if you have what they don't needed to clear the game. If you die in the game you die in real life too./ Naruko reported. /Accordingly there's this Multi-Billionnaire who hired loads of Hunters who must get some items for him when they clear the game. If they do they have a 50 billion reward. Why and what for is unknown, not even his most trusted agents know why. And when players die, they find dead bodies inside the Game Room. I stole some footages I'll send with the butlers as well, from their surveillance system about couple years back./ she said. /For now a friend hired me to do a spying job on the Auction since his boss wants inside information and the boss will pay me./

'Very well.' said Silva. 'Who is this organization?'

/The Nostrade Family, the one who's daughter is a Nen-using diviner categorizing as Specialist, but a rare genius unaware of its origin, not even knowing its Nen and when I checked the history, it manifested with no training whatsoever when she took interest in the occult. Thing is, she doesn't know what the thing writes as it possesses her when she activates it so the father who's main source of income is her, is highly protective./

'...well, if you want to play the game you'll have to get in shape.' said Silva wryly to his son who looked ready to puke at the mere idea. 'Until then, you are barred even if you get it.'

'Awww...'

xxx

September 1...on the rooftop...

Senritsu was alarmed when she heard another heartbeat who wasn't her and her partner appear on the roof, not even coming from the stairs. All she heard was a 'woosh' and a calm heartbeat from behind them and she saw a young girl who should be in bed by now yet she is here and a powerful Nen-User.

'You rang, Kurapika?' Naruko asked Kurapika.

'Naruko, I told you the job details.' said Kurapika. 'Have you done it?'

'Yeah. I got loads of flies inside the building.' said Naruko. 'Well, a security like theirs is too cheap for me. I've seen nastier in my in-law's place.' she scoffed.

'Its a security made to deal with common man only.' said Kurapika. 'A security that ensures no outsider who's not an invited guest can come within 300m of the building. However, its another story if a nen-user comes. Anything of note?'

'I'm watching the vaults.' said Naruko. 'If anything noteworthy happens, a fly will disappear and I'll gain its memories.' then she flinched. 'Oh! Someone came in and the supervisor allowed him in into the vaults. He came in empty-handed and came out empty-handed...but when the supervisor checked, everything's all gone.' she said. 'One of my flies will automatically follow him.'

'What?!' Kurapika and Senritsu yelped. 'Who is he?!'

'The Supervisor addressed him as 'Owl' so he must be a Shadow Beast member.' said Naruko. 'Sooo why did he take the items? Any idea?' she asked them curiously.

'Well, we got word that the auction will be attacked tonight so the Miss was forbidden from going herself.' said Senritsu. 'So we sent some bodyguards to act as representatives to still acquire the items for bid despite the impending threat.'

'Report the incident.' Kurapika instructed Senritsu. 'I'll keep an eye in the meantime.'


	6. Chapter 6

The Massacre

At exactly midnight...a massacre happened.

Kurapika was furious as apparently, he got along with his new colleagues to some extent and the Spider posing as host and bodyguard killed them.

What happened was a massacre as the big 'frankensten look-alike' had his fingertips come off and started firing nen bullets enough to mow down from front to the back, covering the distance from stage to door but he still kept firing as if wanting to tear them to shreds, not just holes.

'Someone used a nen ability to create black ghosts and two others hid behind him but it was no good.' said Naruko as they got into a car.

'That must've been Tochino.' said Senritsu as its her, Kurapika and Naruko with her in a car.

'The bullets are too strong so this guy is a Master Emitter. A woman with a top-knot and big guy dashed out of the door, but a black-haired girl bashed him on the head with a vacuum cleaner and it ate him. Then she did one big jump to bash top-knot too and she too, was eaten. She then went to the room of blood and shredded flesh where her companions are, saying its her job. She sucked away the bodies, blood and chairs...effectively making evidence disappear. Then at the vaults, more of them came to take the items. The supervisor out of fear revealed it was taken beforehand, thinking he'll be let go but for obvious reasons, he was killed...and then the girl dressed like a ninja noticed all my flies and had someone deal with them so I can't follow any more. My flies will all be killed since that girl's senses are sharp while her companions in the bidding room and vault room couldn't sense them.'

"Its the Spider...they're here!" Kurapika swore at that as Naruko told the group what she found and at the hotel, all they found was a bloodied bracelet that belonged to Vaise, the sole proof they were all killed.

They soon heard of a hot air balloon going to Gordeau Desert and suspecting it was a get-away ride and all mafia cars followed it there...while they wisely did the safe thing...watch from afar.

'Ah ah, they're all gonna die.' said Naruko, utterly uncaringly. 'What can mere men do against Nen-Users?'

'While that fact is certain, our job is information.' said Dallzorne. 'All we could do, is watch.'

'Aren't we going to record this?'

'A Phone's video camera isn't that good.' said Basho. 'That's why all we could do is witness.'

'And we all had to rush here there's no time to scrounge for a video camera.' Squala sighed.

'Ah, too bad.'

They watched as the massacre began, with the big guy doing it himself while some watched and some started playing cards!

'Terrible strength there...those hands are made for crushing bone and flesh.' Naruko narrated. 'He must be an Enhancer since his fighting style is no better than a juggernaut's, but its highly-effective combined with his size, hard musculature and of course, his weight and the force he applies. Not even bullets can scratch him and if you use Gyo...he's using a bare amount of Ten yet if any weaker Nen-User does that, they'd still get pierced depending on their level but this guy...clearly mastered his category.' she said as the others used Gyo in the eyes to see what she saw.

'Rate him.' Kurapika ordered.

'His Nen is Master Class but fighting skill is amusing...A-Class tops. If his fighting was good, he'd be an S unless he was holding back since he's just toying with ordinary humans while snapping all their bones with mere swipes. So the question is, how good is he really if up against a Nen-User capable of going toe-to-toe with him? You have to be a 100% nen master just to pierce that barely-there Ten of his which makes me wonder what if he went serious and used Ken and fought with Koboryoku at his 100%. He'd be S-Class.' Naruko piped up. 'His fighting style would no longer matter. You're mashed soft meat and ground bone in seconds anyway.'

'That's a horrifying prospect.' Basho shuddered. 'I'm no idiot. Call me a coward if you like but my life is more important, thanks.' he wonders what the hell is this kid that this sight doesn't terrify her at all. She just watches calmly as if this was normal to look at.

'No way I'm ordering anybody to do that.' Dallzorne grunted. 'You'd have to be insane or soulless. And we're Hunters AND Bodyguards, not official mafia so we really happily have no reason to be down there stupidly senselessly.' he said as they looked at the senseless massacre down below.

'Humm...you got a good boss, Kurapika.' Naruko told the blonde as man in question did a double-take.

'I don't know him much...' Kurapika admitted. 'I hardly see him.' Naruko raised an eyebrow and Kurapika wondered what she learned in the Estate of Death as he calls it. She's shown to be more...caring? But as far as that concerned, it only extended to very few individuals below 20 in numbers. 'But what would you do if he was anything but?'

'Oh, he's gonna die so you'll live longer.' came the casual answer and she said it so innocently in her usual child-like manner but dissonant serenity came with it which was jarring.

'What?!' the men all yelped in disbelief.

'I like very few people...I tend to get protective and I found that out. I learned that in a couple months when they taught me more about human values and stuff other than what's expected of me. They finished what you and Leorio started.' said Naruko.

'Oh...'

What the hell is this girl, feral?! was their thoughts.

That had to be since she didn't even know human values and morals before!

'And she's serious about it too...' Senritsu whimpered as she can happily talk about killing while her heartbeat changed to that of a dark murderer's and overprotectiveness at the same time. How can a heartbeat be like this?! Then she balked because of a new presence.

'Another heartbeat...' she gasped out. 'It went a step onhead.'

'What?!'

'Hmmm, a mole.' said Naruko as they soon saw burrows slowly crawl towards them. 'Kurapika, do we look or kill?' even if Nostrade hired her on Kurapika's suggestion, her CO is still Kurapika who knows her best.

'We wait and see.' said Kurapika as soon, a pinkish and rather-long head came out of the ground and rose. His body is terrible in appearance and proportion and wore a speedo and nothing else which was...freaky.

'I'm Worm of the Shadow Beasts.' he said in a creepy voice. 'What clan are you from?'

'We're the bodyguards of Mr. Nostrade, subordinate to the Ritz Clan.' said Dallzorne nervously.

'I see, the Nostrade eh? I can sense you know Nen, but its best not to interfere.' Worm advised, unaware that there's someone stronger than all of them combined and was deliberately pretending to be weak.

'He's no mere thief.' said a guy in a long-sleeved shirt and looked like a canine.

'Killing is a large part of his life, so he's a pro.' said a short, pudgy bald man in a red tracksuit.

'He's a specialist.' said another with a portly belly and a red nose.

To some, they came out of the blue.

While their Zetsu was perfect and clearly stronger than the Nostrade Bodyguards...they were still weaker than the Spider.

To the blondes, they just came to die. When they were far from earshot...

'Boring. Just more bodies.' Naruko drawled. 'They're weaker than the weakest Spider present and that's saying something. They're weaker than glasses girl with the vacuum cleaner.'

'Aren't you a ball of sunshine.' said Basho sarcastically.

'She speaks the truth at least,' said Senritsu in utter resignation. 'She would know them best because she technically has been in the building to get a grasp of their level. Her heartbeat suggests she truly believes this as fact.'

'So Kurapika, anything else for me to do?' Naruko asked him. 'Father has forbidden the family to have anything to do with them.'

The Family Head forbade the Zoldycks to have anything to do with the Spider?

'Well, leave the involvement to us.' said Kurapika. 'For now information is your job. Nothing about fighting or anything to do with them unless its to defend yourself.' he instructed. 'But why were you forbidden?'

'The leader can _steal Nen Abilities_.' Naruko quipped as Dallzorne and Squala paled in horror as their minds flashed the young miss they were protecting. 'In essence, the others can tell him what Nen Abilities they encounter, tell him what's good and what's not, then he'll come after you to steal what you hard-earned for years. So unless you're a really good fighter and killer, facing them is a bad idea but if you're confident, go ahead as long as they don't live afterward to rat on you.' she said. 'I was especially the most forbidden.'

Kurapika really wondered what her Nen ability is that she was forbidden anything to do with them at all. That, and that information rather complicates things, meaning, he has to kill him as fast as possible and to do that, he has to learn how to damn fight asap.

'M-my god...' Dallzorne looked like his blood left him. 'Is this true?'

'Un.' Naruko nodded. 'Apparently, some years in the past, father fought and killed a member so Chrollo Lucilfer himself came after him. Father says he has a book with faces of people per page...and he noticed that when he has these pages on, he could use various Nen Abilities it was easy to figure that out with basic common sense but its unknown what happens to people he stole from. He is thus an armory of Nen Abilities. But his true Nen is _stealing_.'

'We can't let them know of the Miss no matter what.' Dallzorne swore. 'I'll tell the boss of this! Who's your father? We need a source!'

'Oh, he's actually my father-in-law since I'm engaged to his third son...Silva Zoldyck.'

The Hunters balked.

To earn that right, it means she's a killer herself.

True to her words, they were dead, with the last attack being one hell of a nen-infused roar that amplified his voice enough to kill.

So Kurapika began thinking.

But he still made a decision anyway.

'Naruko. I want to capture that muscle-head.' said Kurapika. 'I can do it from afar and fast enough to do so.'

'Humm...if you are 100% sure, then do so. Only move when you are absolute certain of your victory. If there's even a percent less, don't do it. 99% is never good enough because that 1% less is fatal in this case as we have quite the crew here, all of them S-Class.' said Naruko, looking at the number of spiders. 'Just incase, someone get the engines ready in the other car, I'll get the other car ready.'

'Alright.' Dallzorne started the other car and Naruko did the other.

Kurapika struck his attack, using In to launch his chains, only making it appear when they're secured around the target enough and spirited him away upwards...

Once Kurapika got him, Naruko checked with Gyo...and took out the needle with nen string and stuck it to a rock and they sped off.

xxx

At the Nostrade Mansion...

Naruko waited outside the room because they were interrogating the man in the basement, but when they came out...they clearly didn't get anything.

'Nothing eh? As expected.' said Naruko. 'Anyway, don't bother reporting this. Death awaits you if you do as by now they staked the Information Center and worse, pretend to be them through a Manipulator. This clearly says you can gain nothing catching them because they'll come after you. You can only gain if you kill this guy as that means one less Spider and a step closer to destroying the brigade.'

'Well, that's all we have then.' Dallzorne sighed. 'The problem is the boss. We'll channel your pay to your account.' Naruko merely nodded.

'Kurapika, I still have others to do.' said Naruko. 'Will you be alright?'

'Aa. We have a lot to consider ourselves.' said her fellow blonde with a forced smile and Naruko ran off into the hallways to leave the hotel to go to her fiancee to prevent him from doing stupid things.

She located him not long ago too.

xxx

In a cheap hotel...then again, he's broke as he's pretty much messing around lately...so she has to be the responsible one, she thought in exasperation.

She stole a lot of groceries for the sake of whipping up a meal worthy of home at least.

By next morning...

'Uwooooh?!' they followed their noses when they smelled something delicious, only to find...a feast waiting for them.

'Naruko!'

Yep, she's responsible.

Roasted piglet smeared with sauce and sauteed vegetables also with sauce surrounding it aesthetically. Then soup, a number of sandwiches, paella, and beef steaks piled on high, with a large bowl of sauce next to it...and a large bowl of...noodles? And she's eating said noodles that has oodles of toppings.

'Breakfast, then we'll talk.' she stated as she was already eating her food.

'R-right!'

Naruko thought, Jabba Table Manners much?

In the Zoldyck Estate, you are expected to eat properly in dining etiquette. Mama emphasizes on proper manners yet somehow Killua really let go.

Then again, she wasn't one to talk before adoption, so she supposed she'll just let go herself.

But still, this ramen thing's really good...and considering how she cooked it, all the better.

She grew to like this dish in Jappon, and studied how to make it. Some cheap restaurants use 'instant flavor powder', while high-class restaurants boil a lot of ingredients for more than 20 hours on end, filter, add ingredients, filter again...until a good base, the dashi is made to the Head Chef's standards. After a dashi is made, the sauce kaeshi is next and of course, chef's recipe...then flavorings like herbs, spices, salt...and if all those didn't match, the flavors won't consolidate and fail. Thus Ramen is a high-class dish...if a good chef did it.

Her cooked ramen was boiled about overnight only up till morning at eight since they slept in. Its pretty good but she wondered what would happen if she boiled it for longer!

Perhaps she can just 'screw it' and just have the soup and toppings? Too much noodles is bad after all...

After breakfast...

'So what happened in the weeks you left home?' Naruko asked Killua. 'You left earlier than I did that father asked me to teach you what you missed out on.' Naruko piped up.

'What I missed out on?' Killua blinked as Naruko flared her aura. 'Oh, that? We already learned Nen in Heaven's Arena where we earned some cash.' he told her.

'Oh. Show me then.'

But when they did, she was annoyed.

'That's it for three months?!' she cried. 'Who is your teacher who should die?!' she cried. 'You could have done more than this paltry presence in three months!' she fumed. 'Anything else?'

'Well, I showed him my place, Whale Island while Leorio went to College.' said Gon. 'We played in the forests together and well...he's never seen countryside life before...'

'Well, been in cities all my life I've never been to such a place.' Killua sweatdropped. 'Its so out of the way you don't even know what Joystation is!'

'Joystation?' Naruko raised an eyebrow.

'Yeah, got a clue about Gon's dad, Greed Island.' said Killua.

'Ah, that's up for bid in Southernpiece Auction for five days, starting 6-10.' said Naruko. 'Starting price is 5.8 billion jenny...but tough luck getting it.' she said. 'Because some rich billionnaire always outbids everyone every year, as if he's just giving his money away to the proceeds just for a few consoles. He's collecting the darn things.'

'Eh?! Why?!' Gon cried. 'What for?!'

'Not even his agents know.' said Naruko. 'Its not even on files or data records. He hires Hunters to bring back items for him and the reward is 50 billion but so far, nobody's cleared it yet, they just turn up dead because death happens for real. There are two ways but one might be out of the question.'

'What's that?' Leorio asked her.

'I stole a console for Milluki since I thought he'd like one.' three jaws dropped. 'And as of last night a team of butlers came to get it from me around three in the morning and outsiders who aren't invited are welcome unless father permits you guys.' and Naruko meaningfully looked at Gon and Leorio. 'The second way, is being hired by the Billionnaire but we got work to do.' she moaned. 'The way you are now, you'll drop out of the preliminary testings.'

'T-then what do we do until hiring day?' Gon asked her desperately.

'Until hiring day...we'll work hard on your basics.' said Naruko. 'Killua, for now I won't tell your parents because I don't know how they'll react if they see this level...they were really strict with me and Kalluto we often faint a lot.' she sighed, making Killua wonder how exactly were they Nen Trained. 'So its my turn to make you faint a lot and no complaining because father expects monthly reports.'

Killua thought, "Oh, shit..."

'But first let me see what your teacher taught you. Both verbally and technique...'

Verbally-wrong in some parts, technique is somewhat OK and she corrected the boys who were taught the Fake Fundamentals(to their chagrin, especially Leorio's because he learned from them) because Nen can be turned into dangerous weapons, it must not be taught to outsiders carelessly. For that reason, some Nen masters devised a fake set of Four Fundamentals in which the real Nen terms are either replaced by homophones or are explained incorrectly. In this case, their Nen Teacher must have thought that the boys might carelessly use their Nen thus taught them wrong(which pissed off both boys, especially Killua who was never 'treated' like a child since he started assassin training). So she explained 'True Nen' to them.

She explained the REAL Four Fundamentals, Applications, Quantification of Aura, the Nen System and Categorization + existences of Nen Curses and Exorcism and Aura Flow Control...and subjected them to training for five days in different schedules in Fundamentals, and five days in applications...

'So I guess with one plan in, we won't look for the Brigade anymore since we have a saner way out.' said Leorio.

This earned them a creepy stare from their new instructor.

'Care to tell me what's that all about...?' she drawled. 'Why are you looking for they-who-are-S-Class Nen Users?'

'W-well,' Gon sweated...

By the end of that explanation, all three of them sported three bumps and Naruko who was once incapable of emotion...could now normally express her ire!

On the other hand on Kurapika's side...

The bodyguards decided to kill the man they captured and somehow bury the fact they did it because the boss will be unreasonable. His existence was excluded in the reports, and Kurapika killed him in private. It was also chaos in the manor, with them packing up to go home despite the daughter's wishes to stay...with Kurapika managing to wrangle to remain in York Shin as an informant until auction ends.

That, and he wanted to catch more Spiders...and he's planning accordingly too judging by the order of the Spiders in the list while doing Homework Naruko gave him as she knew full well how strong they are the best in regards to Nen but question mark on their combat skills and abilities.

xxx

By the end of the first night...All Gon, Killua and Leorio could think of, was 'poor me!'

After breakfast was Ten until lunchtime. After lunch was three hours of Ren. After that is three hours of 'perfect ideal Zetsu' training. After dinner is Hatsu with Water Training and the last three hours is Gyo training.

This was for five days but three hours was a monumental task for them. They could barely do Ten for three hours, but Ren was way too much for them, so for now they have six hours of Ten to do so...

Unknown to them, Naruko also has a good reason to exhaust them to the point they sleep so deeply and soundly even Killua's highly-tuned senses can't even notice her actions.

It was so she could leave to secretly meet Kurapika to help him out.

That, and she's got one thing to confess...


	7. Chapter 7

A Dark Night

In an abandoned amusement park, by a rundown carousel...

'So, what do you plan on doing, Kurapika?' Naruko asked Kurapika as she sat on the rusty handrails.

'I want to stake them out but the problem, would be that they're often together, they hardly go out alone, often going out in teams.' said Kurapika.

'Sou ne...and the problem is this one.' Naruko henge-d into Machi. 'Her senses are so finely-tuned I wonder what the hell is she.' she scowled as she changed back. 'If not for that, I can freely spy on them all I want.' she pouted. 'Well, what about the gorilla? What did you guys do?'

'We edited our report, killed him and left the body in public in a park when we're sure nobody's around, and we had to look like burglars and use a truck with no license plate.' said Kurapika. 'Sure enough, the mafia's wondering who did it and they'll never find out who.' he stated coolly.

'Better off that way. No doubt some morons claimed the body for a bounty...and death will soon be after their ass so they can't enjoy their two billion for long.' Naruko giggled. 'Yesterday there was a bounty hunt-slash-investigation and reward disguised as Conditional Auction to make it look legal with even a poster.' she said, giving him a poster. 'Two billion per head.' Kurapika took the poster from her. 'I don't know what your ability is but unless you maximize your aura's potent strength, increase your Maximum Aura Output and the amount you can emit to its highest peak and get used to hand-to-hand...you'll have trouble with other members and they definitely mastered everything if even the Association had trouble with them.' she told him. 'Its to the point only father and grandfather can deal with them in this world...as well as the Chairman and the twelve zodiacs but they can't be too bothered anyway.'

'Is that right?'

'Yeah...oh, and one last thing...' Naruko took out a scroll, unwound it and unsealed its contents...to reveal seven pairs of Scarlet Eyes to Kurapika's shock. 'I stole them the day before September 1 began.' she revealed to his disbelief. 'Officially, there's only a pair going to the auction when in reality, the six pairs are bought covertly with an insanely great bribe. This someone paid 40 billion for six pairs.' she stared at Kurapika grimly.

'Who...is this person?' it was obvious he was angry. His tone of voice, and the way his eyes burned in fury despite his calm composure.

'The Fourth Prince of Kakin Dynasty, Tserriednich Hui Guo Rou.' said Naruko. 'Apparently he wants all pairs for himself. Then whoever buys the last pair in an auction, he'll get it from whoever bought it anyway. And not even the Mafia can do anything to a prince. Do you want them or I'll safekeep them until you want it?'

'...keep it with you for now.' said Kurapika softly. 'Right now...I don't have the time to take my people home to rest. Once I get the opportunity...I'll get them from you.'

'OR you'll get the scroll from me anyway because Gon and Killua intend on participating in Battera's Greed Island game when the auction ends.' said Naruko wryly. 'Apparently, Gon's father left a clue in Greed Island and we're all playing it after we get hired.'

'Is that right? I'll get it now then.'

'Just don't lose or burn it or not even I can get the pairs back from within the sealing you know.' Naruko resealed the eyes back and gave the scroll to Kurapika who took it with care as if he held a fragile object.

'Aa...thank you.' said Kurapika softly as he pocketed the scroll.

'For now, lay low, train hard and unless its glasses girl and you have a chance with frankenstein before he fires his nen bullets ala machine gun if you found and fight them solo, _do not do anything_. Its for your own good otherwise you can forget about getting them all.' she advised. 'You must at least, exceed them in mastery and combat skills. Being less in one, remember the gorilla you killed. They all trained the hard way for years, becoming the A-Class criminals they all are today. No shortcuts. Shortcuts are only temporary and will often choose a bad time to run out on you. But if you find a target who's beyond you, call me before you strike but during our time in Greed Island its impossible. Look it up the website. Spend the time I'm out training.'

'Alright.' Kurapika nodded.

'And the auction?'

'With them here? I doubt there'd be any.' said Kurapika flatly. 'Hundreds of guests, even some bosses gone, treasures gone and even all Shadow Beasts dead...the mafia will take out the big guns.' he said. 'I'll get going. My boss is here and its just us Dallzorne and I now in this city while the other bodyguards took the miss home.'

'Sou...and your miss in question?'

'...threw an incredible tantrum.'

'Tantrum? I only read about that in a dictionary but never seen it in real life.'

'She cried in protest of going home without getting to the auction, screamed, wailed, threw things around...until Senritsu used her ability to calm her down.' Naruko sighed, looking rather amused with his exasperation.

'Must be rough.' she stated the obvious in a rather coy, 'I feel sorry for you' sort of manner.

'But she is my only connection to this grisly trade so I'll have to suck it up and stay with the Nostrades or I'd be out of here long ago. She is two years older than you but sadly...mentally too young for her age accustomed to getting what she wants and when things don't go her way, things go crazy.' he said almost tiredly. Sure he maintains a front, but around those he trusts, he relaxes. 'This upbringing was because so her father can make use of her powers for his own benefit. But in years to come, this will surely bite him in the rear in the worst karma possible in her adulthood. Marriage. Who'd want to marry her is the question because all she can do is predict, not capable of anything else.'

'Ah, what you call 'trophy wife'?'

'That.' Kurapika nodded. 'And we'll have to deal with the drama that comes with it during employment. You have a lot to learn about marital life, its ups and downs.'

xxx

And on the night of September 3, hours later...there was a meeting between hired assassins and Zenji, a Don who was tasked to put them to task.

Naruko was called by the family and she prepared beforehand by tiring the boys like crazy so she can act freely.

'How is Kill?' Silva asked her.

'He apparently went to have a vacation in a real far-out countryside place and he found life there enjoyable.' said Naruko. 'I don't know what he meant by that though. Everyone has their standards so what we ave in mind and what he has is different and I'm still getting to know him and talk more. We started three days ago in Nen...and the boys plan on playing Greed Island by getting into Battera's Event when Southernpiece ends.'

'Is that right...but still, its a Hunter's only Game and more experienced Nen Users are in that game.' Zeno frowned. 'Why will they play?'

'They're hunting for Ging Freecs, Gon's father.' said Naruko. 'He's also a Hunter and left clues in the game. If we clear it and bring back three certain treasures back to the real world, we have a 50 billion reward we can split three-ways between us.'

'50 billion eh? Who is this crazy deviant Battera? Not even we earn a billion in our jobs.' Zeno scoffed as in the darkness, Maha and Kalluto appeared.

'A weirdo but a capable weirdo hoarding secrets to himself. I can't find details by paper, pc and even his safes.'

'Well, we better get going.' said Silva. 'There will be a few pitiful souls today but a job is a job.'

'Being professional, plain and simple.' and the Zoldycks scattered.

Naruko stayed with Silva and Zeno as they wandered around the building together looking for their prey at their own pace.

They also saw dead bodies, killed by ballpoint pens. They found a guy dressed in an absolute emo manner with half his head cleanly-shaven and tatted. Dead by pen-stab at the base of his head where the spinal cord begins.

'...wow, how many pens does he have exactly?' Naruko whistled, sweatdropping. 'Plus points for less mess though.' she said. 'Even the carpet wasn't disturbed.'

'He's done a beautiful job.' said Zeno. 'A single precise strike from behind.'

'We can also see he barely has any presence either. He was exposed only for an instant where it ends shortly.' said Silva.

'Father, we're going to kill Chrollo, right?' Naruko asked Silva.

'Aa. In your case, use the basics and avoid showing your abilities. The last thing we want is exposure of yours.'

'Yes, father. My claws should be good. Its not like he can steal and do them anyway~' Naruko snorted.

They walked around the building, working their way up, and still finding mafioso who still wants to bid despite the danger so while she hid, the two Zoldyck men gave them a piece of their mind before going up, planning to use En to locate him faster...and they found him in a hall that has about six doors for entry and they each used one.

But still...a 300m radius of En?

Naruko felt she has a really long way to go.

In the hall, there he is.

She knew this man, is him.

'We meet again.' he greeted.

'You remember?' Silva asked him.

'How can I not? You killed one of my people.' Chrollo reminded him in a rather casual manner but his eyes tell a different story. He is prepared to fight to the death.

'It was difficult.' and three of them walked towards him. He jumped off the stage and walked just as calmly...and all hell broke loose in a 3-vs-1 fight.

Chrollo expected fighting two of Zoldyck's strongest, so why the hell is he fighting a little girl whose skills are just as good? "These Zoldycks...even little girls are pretty scary." he thought in amusement. And those sharp nails! They can elongate and shorten at her convenience so he's getting some cuts that's a centimeter deep per slash he had to avoid getting cut at certain veins and arteries because she was gunning for those!

It doesn't help that she strikes at the opposite direction of the two men whenever possible he had to watch for three always unpredictable angles at all times and they're very fast.

So he took out a knife...and she was quick to backflip to avoid getting slashed.

'...that's one weird toy you got.' Naruko remarked thoughtfully. 'But so thin, that it can cut deadlier than a scalpel can...'

'That's a mid-era Benz Knife.' Silva told Naruko. 'That shape and design suggests its poisoned.'

Its a clear order for her to do long distance as her level of training is lacking to combat that while Zeno and Silva can shrug it off.

'You must be a Specialist.' Zeno remarked thoughtfully. 'I would consider you a threat if you can freely use the abilities you stole. Considering you can steal Nen abilities, I'm sure about four or five conditions need to be fulfilled...and your attempts of diversion is just proof of the risks you must take to capture and seal those abilities.'

Chrollo just looked amused, threw his knife away and a book appeared out of nowhere. A book titled 'Skill Hunter' with a hand print on the cover. Pages began turning and he conjured a mantle.

'Silva, Naruko, cover me.' Zeno instructed them. 'If I got him, kill him even if you have to kill me with him.'

'Understood.'

'OK.' Zeno flared his Nen.

From what Naruko is seeing, Chrollo was trying to capture him with the mantle so she too, was looking for an opening. But he is also trying to get closer, but Zeno knows better. With age comes wisdom after all. Same goes for herself which was why she didn't jump in or get used as a hostage. But she observed all she could for Kurapika.

It seems when an ability is used, he must constantly hold onto the book to keep using the current ability. However, both fighters read each other's minds and Chrollo closed the book, enabling Silva and Naruko to take action to give Zeno the chance.

"To dodge grandpa at the last second...he's good for his age." Naruko thought. "I wonder who's better in his age range...Illumi or Hisoka?"

It came when it was Zeno who got close and pinned him to the wall with his nen dragon since Chrollo was too busy worrying about all three of them and his judgment lapsed and Zeno wasn't nice enough to let it pass, raining punches on him and she did the same, making him deal with barrages from two people.

'Now! Do it!' Zeno yelled as Silva prepared two huge nen balls...and fired at them.

At Chrollo's distraction from the balls...Zeno gave Naruko a look...

And STAB!

'Gah!' but his reaction was quick as he quickly hardened his body with Ren to keep her from getting deeper and everything exploded.

The hall is now a rubble.

Then something beeped, and Silva answered it. 'Illumi? ...Right here.' Silva then put away the phone as Zeno, Naruko and Chrollo removed chunks of the wall off themselves.

'Humm...older is better I guess.' Naruko told Chrollo. 'Any other would be dead long ago from that stab.'

'Heh, you got ways to go before you can kill me even if you're good in fighting, kid.' Chrollo chuckled in amusement.

'Father, Naruko, Illumi called.' said Silva. 'He says he killed the Ten Dons, and for him to write the money down to his account.' Chrollo nodded.

'Good grief, it seems we both get to live another day.' said Zeno wryly in a disgruntled manner.

'Aren't you supposed to kill me?' Chrollo asked them. 'You won't get another chance you know.'

'True but there's no way we'd work without getting paid.' Naruko pointed out while dusting herself off. 'That's dumb, we don't do charity. We're nice enough to have a wide variety of clients, but not _that_ nice.' she stated, walking away.

'This is business, kid. We don't kill for fun you know.' said Zeno. 'Since our clients the Ten Godfathers are dead and we won't get paid, we quit. That's that. You're no longer our target. I refuse to work and die for nothing.'

'Did you know that I hired Illumi to kill the Ten Godfathers?' Chrollo asked Zeno with a smile.

'Of course, but that's irrelevant. We simply do the job we're hired for.'

'I see...say, can I ask you something?' Chrollo asked him. 'If we were to fight one-on-one, who'd win?' Zeno glanced backwards towards him in amusement.

'If that were the case, I'd win...unless you decide to try to kill me. Cheeky brat.' and they left.

Naruko left a mosquito on the ceiling above the door before the fight began. So she could continue watching.

'That guy's muscle control is amazing...I stabbed him from his left side side I wanna stab through his heart when grandpa gave me the signal but his reinforced his muscles into hardening and contracted around my fingertips at a split-second while my nails pierced his lungs, but at least I broke three ribs.'

'Well, he's a talented guy, that one.' said Zeno. 'But a deviant talent just like you. Someday, you may be the one to off him yourself.'

'Er, age comes wisdom and I'm twelve. I need more seasoning.' Naruko admitted flatly.

'That's true. But you got a job so that can wait a bit I suppose. And don't remind me that I'm old, you're cheeky too.' Zeno grumbled petulantly. 'And later, tell us what happens to that brat.'

'Assuming that girl doesn't show up and kill my bug clone again...' Naruko sighed. 'She has hellish senses when not even her comrades can sense them I can't spy on them at all with her around I can only hope on luck. She's annoying I wanna kill her, job request or not.'

Minutes later...she relayed what happened.

 _'What a drag...' Chrollo complained. 'I can't steal their abilities at all~'_

 _He rested for a while when a group of more came._

 _'Looks like you had fun, boss.' said Franklin as in the room, was a group of four. Him, Pakunoda, Phinx and Bonolenov._

 _'Yeah.' said Chrollo as he got up. 'Two of Zoldyck's strongest and a budding genius who's too good for her age. Its two old men and a kid.' he said as Shalnark, Shizuku and Coltopi came in from one door, and in another, Machi, Hisoka and Feitan came in together._

 _'A what?' Phinx asked flatly._

 _'A. kid.' Chrollo chuckled with emphasis on his words. 'This is this, that is that.'_

 _'Well, this is the Zoldyck Family we're talking about.' said Shalnark._

 _'I wish I could have seen how those three fought you.' Shizuku mused thoughtfully, while lamenting the opportunity missed._

 _'Hmph, fighting is more fun than watching.' Feitan scoffed._

 _'Coltopi, everything ready?' Chrollo asked Coltopi._

 _'Of course,' Coltopi, the hairy short person answered. 'I can't make living copies, but I can provide static copies.'_

 _'That's good enough.' said Chrollo, standing up. 'Then we'll stick to the plan.'_

xxx

'Sooo a fake auction will begin, selling fakes to the stupid idiots...and of course, they got the real treasures and one hell of a fortune in the process.' Naruko told them while sending mail to Kurapika. 'That girl is there but thankfully maybe from overwork, her senses dulled a bit. Lucky~I got to see the faces of the Brigade too. Did you see all of them once?'

'Well, just two. The one I killed, and that guy.' said Silva. 'This is useful. I have forbidden all my sons from having anything to do with them we need to know their faces at some point.'

'OK.' then Naruko paused. 'Father?'

'Hm?'

'What's a 'trophy wife'?'

Silva frowned a little.

'...where'd you hear that?' he asked while he looked comically scary right about now, with half his face in black shadow and eyes glowing red.

'From Kurapika. We talked about his boss' daughter not long ago and about her rather bleak future if she doesn't grow up while we talked about the Spiders since he hired me as informant.' Naruko piped up. 'He said she's two years older than me but the mentality of someone way younger with a spoiled upbringing and incapable of anything but nen precognition.' she said. 'Kurapika laments he'll put up with that kind of drama while employed under the Nostrades.'

'Now that's a rather complicated topic regarding that family. All mafia have rather complicated rules and ill-manners to match that come with it.' Zeno snorted. 'You see, a trophy wife is a woman a man of no morals married just for her looks and family's money or maybe her own money. He keeps her solely for those when behind her back, he's cheating on her with another woman who he actually cares for, or just playing around with out of greedy dissatisfaction.'

'Oh...Kurapika also said I should ask you more about marital ups and downs...'

xxx

 _Kurapika,_

 _Fake Auction tonight._  
 _The corpses are also Nen Fakes._  
 _Don't bother. The Zoldycks have  
two clients: Illumi hired by Boss  
to kill the Ten Godfathers and us  
hired by them to kill Boss. However  
first come, first served and we won't  
get paid tonight._

'So this is what she says?' Light swore as Kurapika read aloud the mail he got. 'Damn if I do, damn if I don't and her best clients all dead. I still have to bid to maintain my reputation and standing while keeping Neon happy.' he fumed. 'This is like, throwing away money for nothing!' he swore furiously, bashing his fists on his lap as he sat on a chair in another room in Cemetery Building for a private conversation. 'Even worse, I can't tell anybody. Who'd believe me?'

'Well, you can just stage a burglary so the miss will never know that the items she wants are fakes that will disappear in a day.' Dallzorne suggested. 'And conveniently, all us bodyguards are out on a job on your orders for business so we're not there to protect her treasures. That way, she can't blame anybody.'

'I leave that to you.' Light sighed. 'I need a drink after this. Watch out for them while I...bid.'

'Sir.'

Needless to say, Kurapika and Dallzorne are stuck watching this farce of an Auction and an unhappy boss who indeed, after throwing money away, went to get really drunk and asked to be left alone.

xxx

Elsewhere...Naruko showed the present members the appearances of the Spider using Henge.

'So that's what they look like...' Kalluto mused thoughtfully.

For him, the appearances of the Spiders are...unexpected, to say the least.

'Surprising but true.' said Naruko. 'I also know their abilities through the bugs I spread in the area close to Cemetery Building. Although some people preferred not to use Nen. That blonde woman used her guns, tracksuit guy and black cloak guy used bare hands, and samurai-wannabe just used his sword. The others took liberty with Nen.'

'That's better than nothing at least.' Kalluto reassured her. 'But still, all of them A-Classes...'

'Even we prefer to fight with our bare hands or their Nen Abilities aren't combat-oriented, who knows?' said Zeno wryly, rolling his eyes. 'Our Nen abilities must absolutely be a trump card if things go south. Until then, we are sufficient on our own. Well, we'll go home now.' and the men are gone, leaving Naruko to disappear last, and sleep in the hotel, while leaving a clone to cook for breakfast hours later.

That morning, Gon, Killua and Leorio saw a note on their living area in their hotel.

-The Zoldycks are called on a job.  
Grandpa, Father, Master Maha, Illumi  
and Kalluto as well as myself. We are  
hired by two parties, I'm tired and  
sleepy, so please excuse me for this  
morning.

-Naruko

P.S- Schedule will continue as normal.  
If you skip, I'll feed you extremely spicy  
things as punishment.

'Wonder what that job is if nearly everyone is called.' Killua scratched his head out of utter befuddlement.

'Well, let's not disturb her.' said Leorio. 'Strong she may be but a kid is still a kid and kids need certain hours of sleep.'


	8. Chapter 8

Greed Island

When Naruko woke up that afternoon, she lied about the job, having prepared beforehand to tell the family her lie to Killua because he too, was interested in the Spiders and she wasn't about to let her fiancee go out looking, not when he just started Nen Training and they can even do something as normal as shopping for groceries in the street.

Kurapika informed her that they are leaving York Shin as well, but promised her that he would train for the coming of the right time.

Due to this, the Spider never figured out who killed Uvogin, as his body was found with no sign of what killed him, other than a line-shaped bruise across his nose. But said bruise wasn't obviously the cause of death. Nen was.

Upon retrieving the body from the Mafia, they buried him in a grave in their York Shin base, with an upside-down cross, the symbol of their boss and mourned him...save for one. Hisoka.

He wanted an alliance with Kurapika, but he was allied with the genius blonde girl who he listens to more since she works as his informant. Apparently at Kurapika's state, he could only fight half the members with his ability, but the others who are beyond his ability would have to wait a bit and heeding her advice, _he would train to kill all of them_.

Seems he would have to wait for his much-desired fight with the boss...

At the hotel...

The ten days passed by...

'Well, we did all we could.' said Gon. 'I hope we make it for the exam.'

'Good luck to you boys.' said Leorio. 'As for me I gotta go back to school.'

'Don't forget to train for I will examine you when we get back from Greed Island.' Naruko reminded him with a glint in her eyes...and Leorio is not about to piss her off, she's scary! 'You can easily train while studying. Training Nen hardly requires movement anyway, unless you want to create your own technique.'

'Right...I'm an Emitter so I should come up with something cool and really me!' Leorio grinned. 'Good luck with Greed Island!' after he bid the kids goodbye, he rode a cab to the nearest train station.

'Well, this is it.' said Naruko. 'We made it in time somehow.'

'Yeah...if it wasn't for you, we'd never make it.' said Gon in relief.

'Well, you still have lots to do and I'm not forgiving in training.' said Naruko with a snort. 'I prepared all we need for at least a year so we should be OK.'

"No kidding there." both boys thought wryly.

In the newspapers a couple days ago, there were massive disappearances of food in groceries. Be it vegetables, meat, canned goods, condiments and grains...Naruko steals food but has to buy clothes and shoes legally since she actually has to try them on for fitting. Those were the only things _she actually has to shop for_.

When they asked why she steals, she simply said 'Its a habit due to my childhood as a street orphan. Habits are hard to break when you're so used to it as if you're breathing air.'

Being a street orphan means you have nobody and nothing. Gon, who grew up innocent while living with his aunt and grandma had to be told by Killua what it means to be someone in her shoes. Being her means you have to survive no matter the cost. Her world was bleak and dark in contrast to his life where yeah, he's an orphan but he grew up in a light of life full of ideals and with relatives.

xxx

/I apologize for keeping everyone waiting!/ a man spoke thru his microphone on stage while hundreds of people sat in the auditorium. /We will now begin selecting the players. As everyone already knows, you must be able to use Nen for this game. The test will proceed as follows: first we need to make an applicant demonstrate their Nen, then we will make our decision. The judge will be the Pro Hunter, Tsezguerra!/ he declared as a tall beefy man with pointy ears came out on stage.

'Tsezguerra?' Gon blinked owlishly.

'Who's that?' Killua asked Naruko.

'Money Hunter Tsezguerra.' said Naruko. 'Or if you want a politer term, Jackpot Hunter. He finds wealthy clients, does A-Class jobs for that client in return for a large reward. His successes earned him a Single Star in rank that he can be called to supervise a Hunter Exam if the association feels shorthanded. Fat chance of that though, he's been in Greed Island for years.'

'Let us begin the test.' said Tsezguerra. 'Come up one at a time and show me your Ren. A shutter and curtain will block the stage so the other applicants cannot see what is happening. The moment we've chosen thirty-two players, this test will end.' he said as a shutter closed on him, and curtains drawn.

/Now, will everyone please, step this way to take the test./ said the stage guy as everyone stood up and rushed to the line.

'Naruko, what do you think?' Gon asked Naruko who knows the most.

'Hmmm...among this lot, we'll get less than 20. We're included in that number.' Naruko piped up. 'We'll do fine no matter if we get on line early or late.' she stated confidently.

'But its still suspicious.' said Killua, frowning. 'We get little to almost no information and we have no idea what's going on.'

'Well, our 'Ren' is being tested.' said Naruko. 'That also means our chances of survival and winning lies in that Ren. But of course, we can't rely on just that. We need our smarts too since power isn't always the answer to everything.' she said. 'And nobody's coming out either so maybe to avoid being questioned by others, there's a different exit for those who flunked so they won't know what to expect.'

'That's true...'

'Well, let's get in line too.' said Naruko. 'Or we'll be here for hours.'

'Ou!' and with bursts of speed, they got on line faster than running people did.

A trick they learned from her.

And so...

'Show me your Ren.' said Tsezguerra to Naruko who got first out of the three.

Naruko looked around with Gyo to see something in the room.

'Hmm! Nen Letters...so nobody outside can feel or see with Gyo eh? Convenient for me.' Naruko grinned. 'Can it withstand me though...?'

Next thing Tsezguerra knew, he felt like he was smothered in a horrifying presence because really, can a tiny little girl possess so much power...?

'Show me your Ren.' Tsezguerra told Killua while recovering from shock. After seeing two horrifying young girls, he is now wary of _children_.

'Hey, can I use Hatsu?' Killua asked him.

'That's fine. You're free to show me the level of your strength.' said Tsezguerra.

'Then, I'll start.' Killua gathered his hands to charge up electricity that shocked him.

Powerful charges at that.

"A Transmuter...he changed his aura into electricity!" he choked in shock. "In theory, it's certainly possible...but its impossible for him to get to this level in his years!"

'Need to see more?' Killua asked cockily as he flared more.

'No...that's enough.' said Tsezguerra softly.

'Alright!' and Killua turned to leave.

'However, this technique isn't something children can easily master...you'd need years of torturous training to do so.' said Tsezguerra. 'I'd estimate at least a minimum of five years.'

'Five years? Try _eleven_.' Killua snorted. 'Since birth, I've been in Electric Shock Training...due to family reasons.'

Tsezguerra decided _he really doesn't want to know_.

Lastly...

'Show me your Ren.' Tsezguerra instructed Gon, twitching. He could honestly say he is unable to fathom how can CHILDREN succeed in where dozens of adults before them FAILED. It was incomprehensible there's only six adults so far who passed!

In the 'passed' room, one Biscuit Krueger felt happy for some reason.

'Yeah!' Gon chimed confidently as he charged up a Kou punch, and created a twenty feet deep hole.

"Really, what are they feeding kids these days?" Tsezguerra thought weakly, and in utter disbelief and dismay out of sheer disappointment in those older than them. "Its impossible for kids his age NORMALLY to create a hole that size in concrete with their Nen yet this kid managed! Either they got a competent teacher or just born lucky."

xxx

'In the end, 24 total guys.' Killua mused as after the last guy sometime later, Tsezguerra went inside himself.

'Yeah. And to think there were almost a hundred in the room earlier...' Gon mused thoughtfully.

'I have an idea but we'll talk later.' Naruko told them as they got quiet as Tsezguerra began to hand out papers and after that, start to speak.

'Well, allow me to congratulate you.' he said. 'The twenty-four people here have earned the right to play Greed Island. Upon clearing the game, you will earn 50 billion jenny. So read the details and sign the contract, before we depart at 5 pm.'

And so...in a restaurant...

'So that time we were given is time for us to bring what we need for our time in Greed Island.' said Naruko as they ate a lot of food.

'But we're ready a long time ago.' said Gon. 'You practically have...everything.' he said weakly as he and Killua sweatdropped.

'Being over-prepared is better than under-prepared considering how long we'll be stuck in that game.' said Naruko. 'We'll do fine in that regard. Overconfidence is bad after all.'

Its not just them...

In the Spider Base...

They pulled a Naruko and stole a copy of Greed Island out of curiosity.

Little did Naruko know that she'll be meeting some of them soon enough.

xxx

Greed Island...

Naruko was in deep thought as they raced straight for the nearest town.

The plan was to touch as many cards as possible to sell for money in order to pay for information after asking around. After amassing a lot of 'junk cards', they came up with at least, 10000 jenny.

'10000...' Gon whimpered in dismay.

'It can't be helped, they're junk cards for a reason.' said Killua. 'But this should be enough for information.'

For ten thousand, they learned about cards. For another 10000, a map of Greed Island. For 30000, information about the towns and cities.

That was sufficient.

They found an ideal training ground. For her its ideal at least.

Their card-hunting can wait.

Training is top priority.

xxx

For about three months, Naruko's standards are ridiculous to say the least...and she was reporting every month.

'But it was the standards Kalluto and I did back home.' Naruko huffed. 'If we can do it, so can you! Don't complain to me, complain to grandpa!'

Killua couldn't say anything about that.

Unknown to even him, Naruko TRIPLED everything actually...from the standards of Four Fundamentals to Applications Training in a set schedule...all the while fighting her clones...and physical training. Enough to enable both to open the bigger gates at home. Killua is already capable of opening the fifth gate with trouble before leaving home, now he can open it with ease. As for Gon, he had the training capable of opening the fourth gate...with both hands and feet. Her standards are Maito Gai-class ridiculous as in a twisted way, she somehow has great respect for him even if she's now way stronger than he. She even put them through flexibility training to gain nimbleness while training herself as well. Six months with the family enabled her to open the fifth gate as well in a short time after all.

For Gon, it was Reinforcement Training. Reinforcing his body, his senses, his healing factor, near-ease control of aura, and how to use Reinforcement to augment his speed, strength, endurance/resilience, force of attack, and even using Reinforcement in mundane things like cooking and using mundane objects as improvised tools! This was to teach him endless possibilities in creating a hatsu unique to him. If there's anything Gon lacked in, its creativity and common sense. But he has Concentration and Focus.

For Killua, it was strengthening his electricity to the highest levels possible, and using maximum amount of power without tiring too quick, and projecting his electricity, increasing his range and speed of attack, and effects of electricity and lightning over the human body. Her demanded range of attack? 15 meters. His analytical skills and strength are high-level which was why Gon has to be trained more.

By tripling their menu...they were able to catch up to her in Nen Proficiency at least and made improvements in their fighting abilities, with Naruko's clone having to verbally teach Gon the Strong Fist of Konoha while Naruko personally fought with Killua using Zoldyck Techniques...with Nen, revealing she too, is Reinforcement, but focuses solely on Healing, exploiting her lineage to the maximum to ensure she and her family live long.

By the near end of December...they met a man with a ticking bomb on his shoulder named Abengane. He knew the identity of the Bomber and how everything happened and ended.

'...good thing we didn't join that group.' Gon gulped.

'Good thing indeed...but this information is very valuable since before this, we couldn't trust anyone much less let anyone touch us unless they weren't Specialists or Materializers; two categories that can possibly be the Bomber.' said Naruko.

'No kidding, they grilled me real good before letting me join!' Biscuit huffed, crossing her arms.

'Well, we can pay you for your trouble at least.' said Naruko as she materialized...an adult version of herself dressed like a very cute handyman with a wide variety of tools with her hair in two high ponytails. But the nen-girl's eyes are empty despite it smiling. 'I am an Exorcist. I have two Hatsus as an Exorcist...for mechanical-based curses like a bomb, and an illness-based curse. This one is Lovely Handygirl. This is for mechanical-type curses while for illness-types, I have Lovely Doctor. But only one can manifest at a time.'

'R-really?!' the whole forest shook from shock.

'Of course, requirement requires that I'm stronger than the curses so I am in constant training...otherwise I'm useless when needed.' said Naruko as her Nen approached with her tools. She took out wires from her huge bag and a laptop and began typing like crazy...

'Er, what's it doing?' Abengane asked Naruko curiously.

'Calculating how strong the bomb is and my current strength.' Naruko said. 'I have to be stronger than the curses is primary requirement. Then the nen will do the rest based on the findings.'

Indeed so...the Handygirl disarmed the bomb by extracting the bomb from Abengane's shoulder by prying it out with a crowbar, taking its nen from his body with it...and kicked it sky high where it exploded.

'Operation successful.' Naruko chimed.

'I can't thank you enough for this!' Abengane gasped out in dogeza.

'Well, you can thank me by NOT telling anyone I'm an Exorcist because if word reaches his ears, he will surely gun for us.' said Naruko. 'As long as he doesn't explain, the bombs don't appear, right? So everyone he's touched but didn't hear him explain are still safe. Moreover we know his face so we know full well to never have anything to do with him.'

'I can do that.' said Abengane, accepting her terms and left.

'But Naruko, you're a Reinforcer like me, how on earth can you be an Exorcist?' Gon asked her, bamboozled.

'Its due to the fact that I possess two powers...Chakra of my home world, and Nen of this world.' said Naruko. 'Chakra is very versatile to use, but weaker compared to Nen in power, and can never break the rules of nature unless you're willing to make sacrifices. Nen is a power based on our potential and it can surpass laws of nature, even giving us access to fantasy-like abilities impossible to people in my world. Imagination is one's limit in regards to Nen.' she said. 'By combining two powers in precisely equal proportions, I become a Specialist temporarily.' she explained. 'And due to my lineage as an Uzumaki, I am more attuned to healing and curing, thus this power was born.' she admitted. 'The only ones who know this, are the family, Gon, and Kurapika.'

'Heeee...' Killua whistled. 'That's amazing...but what about your natural category?'

'Well, that one's still healing-oriented.' said Naruko. 'But it has an equal exchange aspect to it. If amputation or losing organs occurs, the one I heal, or if those happen to me, we'll regenerate what we lost at the cost of years off our lifespans. The numbers paid will appear once healing is complete. Injuries are cost-free though.'

By March...they were found by a certain woman.

'Ohooo? Training eh?' she mused as she observed them. "Not bad for kids though...I'd have gotten to their level in my twenties..." she thought in excited drooling.

She couldn't help but be drawn to their potential. Two of them were Reinforcers and one Transmuter...and the girl is the strongest.

To her, her aura is HORRIFYING. What child could possess aura like that?! Its too potent and powerful! But still a ways to go to mastery levels, no doubt.

'Hey.' Naruko was behind her instantly. 'You're watching us for a long while now. If you're a player after our cards, forget it. We haven't even begun playing the game yet.'

'Your auras...you can say I'm drawn here.' the girl admitted. 'What are you?'

'Ah, you felt our training huh? Well, we have to because this game literally kills.' Naruko chortled. 'Until standards are met, we won't start our own path to the game.'

'Is that right? Well, I got a few ideas myself since I'm drooling real bad here...'

Needless to say, Biscuit Krueger made herself welcome in their camp...and needless to say, she discovered how crazy the three kids were in training and their basics are so polished and refined. But still struggling in Hatsu Training and their current trainer is a sheer perfectionist for the sake of better survival in fights.

Because Gon is the weakest by far, Biscuit favors him more to...bully and she's her own brand of sadism.

And she knows other training methods that are just as effective and pointed out that they still have flaws.

April...

'So you'll finally start to obtain cards?' Silva asked Naruko over the phone.

'Yes. We'll work our way up father.' said Naruko. 'We got a powerful ally too so four of us are teaming up to play. We'll work our way up but some cards need more teaming up with increasing number of teammates. This game is impossible to finish solo. If Milluki plays this game, he'll have to learn to get along with people. For now, four of us is sufficient but there's a famous player code named 'Bomber' in the game. Nobody knows who he is. Players die left and right by explosion so we don't trust anybody. There's even a huge alliance of over thirty people but we don't like them. They're weak and only one person is decent. And this game requires really strong Nen Users to obtain some cards. We also need to trade.'

'I see...that's another way as well.' Silva said approvingly. 'I'm glad to see he hasn't lost his touch while he was playing around. And what of that girl?' he wondered if she's a threat to Killua's arranged marriage.

'Er...she's 51 years old who hates her real form...' said Naruko awkwardly. Silva blinked. Maybe no threat at all then. 'She's a Transmuter whose Nen Abilities are solely made for training pupils and ahem, for her youthful vanity. She showed me her true form I'm sure even you'll be surprised. Let's just say its a result of overtraining and too much focus and dedication that appearance-wise, she regrets it as she _unknowingly followed men's training in her teens_.' at home, Silva raised an eyebrow. 'Her ability is literally a Spa Masseuse with lotions. But convenient for faster training progress for sore muscles and joints and fast recovery. We found a useful one.'

'Make full potential of that one for your growth.'

'Yes.'

And so...

Card-hunting begins for them by making use of Guidepost and Accompany.

They had to deal with a Panda Maid, a panda that loves being a housewife and nanny...and all of them are kids...so while they had to put up with its affections, while figuring out how to capture it, it became a card by itself.

'What the hell?!' Killua squawked as the panda went POOF to become Card no.99.

''Panda Maid: An endangered species. Very neat and loves to cook, and each has a hobby such as sewing or gardening. They are excellent at taking care of human children.' Gon read aloud. 'And the panda that took care of us likes to sew. What could the condition be?'

'Maybe letting it take care of us was the cause?' Biscuit pointed out.

'That could be...but its one smothering nanny its annoying.' Naruko grumbled. 'Next!'

Next was the Silver Dog. To win it over, they had to convince a greedy old man to willingly give it up with a bribe...so they made convincingly-fake gold coins using Henge on leaves and they got the dog!

They had to run fast before the jig is up.

'Really, feeding a dog with a small amount of gold mixed in its food to make it poo silver? Isn't gold more valuable?!' Biscuit fumed.

'Next is 3D Camera...'


End file.
